o^A''^' 


{y  / 


[1—0897] 

Printed  Matter. 


If  not  delivered  return  to 

The  COMMISSIONER  OF  EDUCATION, 

Washington,  D.  C. 


Jlcpartment  of  the  Jnterior, 

.BUREAU    OF  EDUCATION. 

JL  BUSINESS 


6— 37T 


17T38  b— 100  m 


C^, 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  witii  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/benjaminfranklinOOtlioriala 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 
170ft-1791. 


[  Whole  Number  18S 

BUREAU    OF   EDUCATION 
CIRCULAR   OF  INFORMATION  NO.   2,   1892. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


AKD 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 


EDITED  BY 

IPRA^N-CIS   N-E^VTOIvr    T-HORPE,   I>li.    D., 

Professor    of  A-rnericitn.    Con.stitu.tion.al    History    in.    the 

XJniversity  of  Pennsylvania. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 
1893. 


UiNlVEIlSITY  OF  CALIFOJ 
SANTA  BARBARA 


Department  op  the  Interior, 

Bureau  of  Education, 
Washington,  I).  C,  April  21,  1893. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  i)resent  liereAvith  for  publication  a  circular 
of  information  entitled  "Benjamin  Franklin  and  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania."  Some  years  since  this  Bureau  offered  a  similar  circu- 
lar on  "Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  University  of  Virginia,"  which  was 
printed  in  an  edition  of  20,000  copies,  all  of  which  have  been  distributed. 
The  demand  still  continues  for  this  circular  and  it  is  hoped  that  it  may 
be  reprinted  at  no  distant  date.  The  present  circular  of  iifformation, 
it  is  expected,  will  be  of  equal  interest  to  the  country.  While  Thomas 
Jefferson,  w  ith  that  breadth  of  statesmanship  which  characterized  all 
of  his  labors,  kept  unceasingly  belbre  his  view  the  importance  of  popu- 
lar education  to  reinforce  and  make  effective  the  operations  of  the 
principle  of  local  self-government,  on  the  other  hand  Dr.  Franklin, 
himself  a  noteworthy  example  of  a  self-educated  man,  kei)t  in  view  the 
importance  of  education  as  the  foundation  of  thrift  and  social  develop- 
ment. These  two  men  seem  to  have  furnished  more  than  any  other  two 
men  tlie  guiding  principles  which  have  prevailed  in  our  civilization, 
])olitical  and  social. 

The  circular  here  mentioned  on  Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  Univer- 
sity of  Virginia  has  made  widely  known  the  wonderful  insight  of  the 
great  Virginian  into  the  best  modes  of  organizing  popular  educa- 
tion. To  him  is  due  the  organization  of  the  University  of  Virginia, 
which  is  more  and  more  copied  or  approached  in  the  regulations  and 
l)ractical  details  of  colleges  and  universities  North  and  South.  The 
author  of  that  circular,  Prof.  H.  B.  Adams,  has  treated  his  theme  in 
such  a  way  as  to  throw  great  light  upon  the  early  history  and  growth 
of  what  we  fondly  style  American  ideas.  Our  local  self-government 
jealously  guards  itself  against  the  danger  from  centralized  power.  The 
assumption  on  the  part  of  the  General  Government  of  any  functions 
which  can  be  better  performed  by  the  local  authorities  is  regarded  as 
mischievous  by  the  vast  majority  of  thinking  people  in  our  country. 
But  whatever  goes  to  the  education  and  enlightenment  of  the  citizens 
in  their  several  localities  goes  for  the  increase  of  local  directive  power. 
The  only  kind  of  help  which  is  always  good  and  usefid  is  that  which 
helps  an  individual  or  a  community  to  help  itself.  Jefferson  saw  this 
truth,  and  he  saw  its  relation  to  popular  education  as'a  necessary  con- 
comitant to  local  self-government. 

1 


2  LETTER. 

Beujamiii  Franklin  stands  somewhat  in  contrast  to  Jefferson  in  the 
fact  that  he  looks  more  to  the  social  welfare  than  to  the  political  func- 
tion of  the  people.  His  most  iironounced  idea  is  that  of  thrift.  He 
wishes  to  have  it  impressed  on  each  man  or  woman  or  child  that  indus- 
try and  economy  are  prime  sources  of  power.  But  he  is  in  agreement 
with  Thomas  Jefferson  as  to  the  importance  of  an  elementary  educa- 
tion to  i)repare  the  citizen  for  intelligent  application  of  the  lessons  of 
industry  and  thrift. 

The  center  from  which  Franklin's  practical  influence  in  education 
extends  is  Philadelphia.  Connected,  as  he  was,  for  many  years  with 
the  management  of  what  is  now  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  that 
institution  is  in  some  sense  a  development  of  his  ideas  as  to  higher 
education.  But  his  benetiictions  and  his  counsel  originated  many 
other  streams  of  educational  influence. 

These  lines  of  educational  influence  have  been  carefully  investigated 
by  Prof.  Francis  Newton  Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  his  results  are  now  offered  for  publication.  I  am  conlident  in  the 
belief  that  this  treatise  will  be  received  with  the  same  interest  that 
was  accorded  to  the  former  circular  upon  "Jefferson  and  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia."  The  two  principles  which  have  hitherto  divided 
the  attention  of  statesmen  and  public  benefactors,  each  one  contending 
for  the  mastery,  but  each  compromising  in  turn  to  the  other,  are  these 
two  ideas,  represented  resi)ectively  by  Jefferson  and  Franklin,  the  idea 
of  the  political  basis  and  the  idea  of  the  social  basis  of  a  free  govern- 
ment. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  T.  Harris, 


Commissioner, 


Hon.  Hoke  Smith, 

Secretary  of  the  Interior. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS, 


Page. 

Preface 5 

Chapter     I.  Franklin's  Self-Education.    The  editor  (Fellow,  1885-87) 9 

II.  Franklin's  Ideas  of  Education  as  seen  in  his  Writings.    The 

editor •- 133 

III.  The  Scope  of  the  University.    William  Pepper,  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  '62. .  205 

IV.  Historical  Sketch  of  the  University.    John  L.  Stewart,  ph.  b.,  '89  215 
V.  The  University  in    its  Relations  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

Hon.  Samuel  W.  Pennypackcr,  ll.  D 233 

VI.  The  Eelations  of  the    University  and  the  City.    J.  G.  Rosen- 

garten,  a.m.,  '52 '. • 243 

VII.  The  Department  of  Arts.     William  A.  Lamberton,  a.  m.,  '67 255 

VIII.  The  Medical  Department.     Horatio  O.  Wood,  m.  d.,  ll.  d.,  '62  ...  273 

IX.  The  Law  Department.     C.  Stuart  Patterson,  a.  m.,  ix.  u.,  '60 283 

X.  The  Town©  Scientific  School.   George  F.  Barker,  ph.  d 289 

XI.  The  Department  of  Dentistry.    James  Truman,  p.  d.  s 309 

XII.  The  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy.     The  editor 320 

XIII.  The  School  of  Biology.    Joseph  T.  Rothrock,  m.  d.,  '68 327 

XIV.  The  University  Hospital.     Richard  Wood - 343 

XV.  The  Veterinary  Department.    William  Hunt,  M. ».,  '49 356 

XVI.  The  Department  of  Physical  Education.    Randolph  Farics,  a.  m., 

M.D.,'85 361 

XVII.  The  Department  of  Philosophy.    George  S.FuUerton.B.  D.,  ph.  D.  364 

XVIII.  The  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions.     The  editor.  370 

XIX.  The  Laboratory  of  Hygiene.    John  S.  Billings,  M.  v.,  ll.  d 375 

XX.  The  Department  of  Arclueology.     Daniel  G.  Brinton,  M.  » 377 

XXI.  The  Graduate  Dejiartment  for  Women.    Rev.  Jesse  Y.  Burk,  a.  m.  384 

XXII.  The  University  Libraries.    Morris  Jastrow,  jr.,  ph,'  d.,  '81 387 

XXIII.  The  School  of  Architecture.    Warren  P.  Laird 396 

XXIV.  University  Undergraduate  Life,  1740-1791-1891.   Joseph  Siegmund 

Levin,  '87 '. 403 

XXV.  Organizations  Within  the  University.    FelixE.Schelling,  a.m., '81  410 

XXVI.  The  Alumni  of  the  University.    Persifor  Frazer,  '62,  Henry  Budd, 

'68,  and  J.  Sergeant  Price 420 

XXVII.  The  Bibliography  of  the  University.    Rev.  Jesse  Y.  Burk,  a.  m., 

'62 438 

Index 445 

3 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  1706-1791 Frontispiece. 

The  University  Library 24 

Facsimile  of  the  Beginning  of  the  Original  Draft  of  the  First  Charter  of  the 

University  of  Pennsylvania,  1794 y     62 

Facsimile  of  the  Signatures 62 

William  Smith,  d.  p.,  the  first  Provost  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 

1755-1779 144 

Benjamin  Franklin,  1790.     (From  the  original  in  possession  of  the  American 

Philosophical  Society,  by  permission) 184 

William  Pepper,  M.  D.,  lb.  d.,  Provost  of  the  University,  1881  to  date 194 

The  Main  College  Building.     (From  the  southwest) 240 

The  College  Chapel 256 

Geological  Museum — College  Hall:     (From  the  vt^est) 258 

The  Medical  College.     (From  the  west) 273 

Pathological  Histological  Laboratory — Medical  Hall 276 

Pathological  Laboratory  —Medical  Hall 278 

Chemical  Lecture  Room — Medical  Hall 280 

Medical  Museum — Medical  Hall 281 

Lecture  Room  in  Law  School 286 

Organic  Laboratory — College  Hall.     (From  the  south) 292 

Private  Room  of  Professor  of  Civil  Engineering — College  Hall 302 

Physical  Lecture  Room — College  Hall 306 

Dental  Operating  Room 312 

Seminary  Room — Wharton  School 324 

The  School  of  Biology 328 

Private  Room  of  late  Prof.  Leidy— Biological  Hall 332 

Museiun — Biological  Hall . . . : 336 

Biological  Marine  Laboratory 340 

The  University  Hospital 343 

Veterinarv  Hall ." 356 

Veterinary  Hospital,  with  Ambulance 3.58 

Lecture  Room — Veterinary  Hall 358 

Dibsecting  Room — Veterinary  Hall 360 

The  Athletic  Grounds 362 

Laboratory  of  Hygiene 376 

Archieological  Museuiu 377 

The  Library.     (From  the  east) 388 

Reading  Room — University  Library 392 

Among  the  Book  Stacks — Library ^. 394 

Plan  of  the  Department  as  proposed  for  1892-'93 402 

4 


PREFACE. 


Benjanihi  Franklin  is  tlie  tjT)e  of  the  self-educated  man.  His  phil- 
osophy is  utilitarian,  and  his  educational  notions  are  stamped  by  that 
system.  He  would  define  morality,  politics,  and  natural  philosophy  by 
a  series  of  experiments  in  which  every  member  of  the  human  race  should 
participate.  His  scheme  of  education  provides  that  all  men  should 
follow  his  example.  The  iniiuence  of  Franklin  on  American  education 
is  felt  to  this  day.  I  have  attempted  to  outline  this  influence  by  trac- 
ing his  own  self-education;  by  presenting  his  ideas  on  education  as 
shown  in  his  works;  by  comparing  them  with  the  ideas  of  the  eminent 
men  of  his  time,  Adam  Smith,  Hum6,  Priestly,  AVashington,  John 
Adams,  Jefferson,  Hamilton,  and  some  of  the  physiocrats;  by  describ- 
ing the  educational  institutions  which  he  founded — the  Library 
Company  of  Philadelphia,  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  the 
University  of  Peunsylvania^and  the  principal  educational  institutions 
founded  in  Pennsylvania  in  conformity  with  his  ideas — Frankliii  and 
Marshall  College,  the"  Franklin  Institute,  Girard  College,  and  the 
Philadelphia  Manual  Training  Schools.  These  institutions  touch  life  at 
every  point  and  represent  every  important  phase  of  modern  education. 

This  volume  is  designed  to  show  more  particularlj'  Franklin's  relations 
to  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  history  and  growth  of  that 
institution  for  a  century  and  a  half.  Lack  of^  space  has  prevented  a 
more  elaborate  account  of  that  relation  and  of  that  history.  Perhaps 
no  part  of  the  volume  is  more  suggestive  than  the  tables  showing  the 
attendance  at  the  University  since  1740,  It  has  been  attended  by  per- 
sons from  one  hundred  and  thirteen  States  and  countries,  and  the 
number  of  annual  courses  given  amount  to  60,747.  Its  alumni  are  found 
all  over  the  world.  Particularly  has  the  University  been  of  interest  to 
the  people  of  the  Southern  States  who  have  been,  with  a  slight  inter- 
ruption, its  constant  patrons.  The  tables  show  how  in  recent  years  the 
awakened  interest  in  university  life  brings^  matriculates  from  all  parts 
of  the  world.  The  University  has  thus  become^he  permanent  expo- 
sition of  Franklin's  ideas  in  education,  and  his  name  and  that  of  the 
University  are  imperishal»ly  linked  together.  He  was  the  first  pres- 
ident of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  was  an  active  member  of  the  Board 
for  nearly  half  a  century.  The  brief  account  of  Franklin's  influence 
on  Adam  Smith,  on  Priestly,  and  on  Hume,  and  of  the  educational 

5 


6  PREFACE. 

ideas  held  by  Wasliington,  Adams,  Jefferson,  and  Hamilton,  will  sug- 
gest to  others,  I  trust,  interesting  fields  of  exploration  in  American 
educational  history. 

"The  great  aim  and  end  of  all  learning"  wrote  Franklin  in  1749,  in 
bis  "Proposals  Relating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania,'" 
"is  to  serve  mankind,  one's  country,  friends  aiid  family." 

On  thi»  broad  conception  Franklin  and  his  associates  founded  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  At  the  close  of  nearly  a  century  and  a 
half  after  that  conception  was  formulated,  the  University  of  Pennsyl- , 
vania-is  organized  and  administered,  its  numerous  courses  of  study  ar- 
ranged and  its  academic  life  proceeds  in  substantial  conformity  with 
the  great  aim  and  end  which  Franklin  proposed.  The  plan  of  the 
founder  and  his  associates  comprehended  the  significant  educational 
movements  of  modern  times  and  at  the  same  time  set  forth  the  classic 
excellence  of  conservatism.  Language,  literature,  science  i)ure  and  ap- 
plied, ethics,  history,  government  and  constitutions,  "sound  politics," 
logic,  the  history  of  commerce,  archaeology,  law,  anatomy,  and  medi- 
cine, the  ever-increasing  group  of  studies  which  "are  useful  to  man- 
kind" distinguish  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  to-day  and  enhance 
the  fame  of  its  founder.  That  group  of  historical,  economic  and  politi- 
cal studies  which  includes  so  large  a  portion  of  modern  instruction  was 
clearly  outlined  in  the  original  plan  for  the  University  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  this  institution  was  the  first  to  organize  several  special  schools 
whose  instruction  is  particularly  useful  in  such  ji  country  as  ours. 

The  unwearied  labors  of  unselfish  men,  i)rovosts,  trustees,  and  pro- 
fessors, aided  by  generous  friends,  for  a  century  and  a  half  have  cen- 
tered in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  but  it  is  during  the  last  twenty 
years  and  more  parti(;ularly  during  the  last  decade  that  the  truly  uni- 
versity plan  of  the  founder,  enlarged  by  the  exi)erience  of  many  at- 
t€mi)t8  towards  its  realization,  has  taken  concrete  form.  The  recent 
growth  of  the  University  has  been  phenomenal.  It  is  doubtful  if  any 
other  institution  of  learning  in  America  shows  such  a  vigorous  growth 
of  parts  and  such  efficient  unification  of  the  whole, 

A  magnificent  estate  of  over  40  acres  has  been  secured  on  the  high- 
lands of  Philadelphia  overlooking  the  valley  of  the  Schuylkill,  twenty 
buildings  for  a  great  variety  of  purposes  have  been  erected  at  a  cost 
of  $l,r)<M),0OO,  and  the  scoi)e  of  the  University  has  been  enlarged  by  the 
foundation  of  numerous  sppcial  or  technical  schools,  such  as  Wharton 
School  of  Finance  and  Economy,  the  School  of  Biology,  the  Veterinary 
School,  the  S<hool  oF American  History  and  Institutions,  the  School  of 
Hygiene,  the  S<!liool  of  Architecture,  the  Graduate  School  for  Women, 
and  the  Wistar  Institute  of  Anatomy. 

These  creations  illustrate  forcibly  the  living  touch  of  the  University 
with  the  world,  and  these  schools  are  administered  to  the  advantage 

■*  '  See  i».  58  et  seq. 


PREFACE.  7 

of  an  ever  increasing  body  of  students  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  In 
1881  there  were  972  students  in  attendance;  there  are  2,055  in  1892. 
The  teaching  force  of  the  University  has  increased  till  it  bears  a  greater 
ratio  to  the  number  of  students  receiving  instruction  than  exists  in  any 
other  university  in  America. 

The  services  of  Benjamin  Franklin  to  his  countrymen  are  the  admi- 
ration of  the  world;  but  no  service  done  by  this  American  statesman 
surpasses  the  service  of  the  great  University  which  he  and  his  associ- 
ates founded. 

Thomas  Jefferson,  the  founder  of  the  University  of  Virginia,  with 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  relative  worth  of  American  and  European 
institutions  of  learning,  in  1807,  while  President  of  the  United  States, 
wrote  to  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  then  professor  of  anatomy  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania :  " 

I  have  a  grandson,  the  son  of  Mr.  Randolph,  now  abont  15  years  of  age,  in  whose 
education  I  take  a  lively  interest ;  *  *  »  there  are  particular  branches  of  science 
which  are  not  so  advantajjfeously  tartght  anywhere  else  in  the  United  States  as  in 
Philadelphia,  »  *  *  your  Medical  School  for  anatomy,  and  the  able  professors 
*     *     *    give  advantages  not  to  be  found  elsewhere. 

It  is  of  great  interest  to  be  able  to  record  that  eighty- five  yeais  later 
the  name  of  the  distinguished  anatomist  and  teacher,  Dr.Wistar,  is  for- 
ever associated  with  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  by  the  generosity 
of  Gen.  Isaac  J.  Wistar,  in  the  foundation  and  endowment  of  the  Wistar 
Institute  of  Anatomy. 

To-day,  the  Medical  School  Avith  its  learned  faculties  and  its  four 
years'  course ;  the  Towne  Scientific  School, with  its  admirably  equipped 
laboratories;  the  Biological  and  Veterinary  Schools ;  and  the  School  of 
Hygiene;  the  University  Hospital  and  the  Dental  School,  each  ade- 
quately equii)ped  with  commodious  buildings,  suggest  that  were  Presi- 
dent Jefterson  living  he  might  again  si)eak  of  "  advantages  "  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  "  not  to  be  found  elsewhere." 

Nor  has  it  been  in  science  alone  that  the  facilities  of  the  University 
have  increased;  the  entire  group  of  political,  historical  and  economic 
studies  is  emphasized  in  the  clearest  manner  and  the  several  schools 
organized  in  that  group,  like  the  scientific  schools  in  the  Universily, 
give  special  strength  to  the  whole  educational  unit  of  the  University. 

It  is  the  unification  of  the  University  and  the  enormous  financial 
strengthening  which  it  has  received  during  the  last  ten  years  that  dis- 
tinguish the  administration  of  the  present  Provost,  Dr. William  Pepper, 
whose  wife  and  children  are  descendants  of  Benjamin  Franklin  and  who 
by  a  happy  destiny  has  been  enabled  to  give  concrete  form  and  living 
power  to  the  comprehensive  plans  of  the  University's  great  founder. 
Nor  should  history  be  silent  concerning  the  wise  generosity  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  some  of  who.se  members  have  been  the  guaranty  of 
the  material  success  of  many  large  undertakings  in  the  University. 


8  PREFACE. 

The  editor  acknowledges  gratefully  the  zealous  cooperation  of  the 
various  contributors  to  the  volume.  Each  chapter  has  the  authority  of 
its  author,  Special  acknowiedginents  are  due  to  the  faithful  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  Rev.  Jessi;  Y.  Burk,  to  whose  intimate 
knowledge  of  University  aftairs  a  large  portion  of  the  value  of  the 
book  is  due.  The  elaborate  statistical  table  on  page  202,  involving 
iMuch  research,  was  i)repared  by  Mr.  Clarence  S.  Mclntire,  to  whom 
acknowledgments  are  made. 

The  Editor. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYL- 
VANIA. 


\ 


Chapter  I. 

FRANKLIN'S  SELF-EDUCATION. 


A  man  whose  biographer  can  say  of  hiiu  that  he  never  spoke  a  word 
too  soon,  nor  a  word  too  hite,  nor  a  word  too  much,  nor  failed  to  speak 
the  riglit  word  at  the  right  season,  and  who  fdled  high  public  ofiices 
and  performed  their  duties  with  fidelity  which  has  made  his  public 
service  not  only  illustrious  but  of  the  highest  type  of  its  kind,  who 
founded  institutions  of  great  public  utility,  and  who  also  successfully 
managed  his  own  private  affairs,  may  be  expected  to  have  some  ideas 
on  education. 

Benjamin  Franklin  tells  us  that  he  "was  born  and  bred  in  poverty 
and  obscurity,  from  which  he  emerged  to  a  state  of  affluence  and  some 
degree  of  reputation  in  the  world,  and  that  he  went  through  life  with 
a  considerable  share  of  felicity".  He  frequently  reflected  on  his 
worldly  prosperity  and  was  happy  to  record  that  his  family  was  of 
homely  but  goodly  stock,  of  the  middle  class  of  ancient  England,  and 
that  even  so  distinguished  a  divine  as  Cotton  Mather  made  honorable 
mention  of  Peter  Folger,  Franklin's  maternal  grandfather,  as  "a 
godly,  learned  Englishman." 

Franklin  was  not  sent  to  (jollege,  according  to  his  account,  because 
a  college  education  was  too  expensive;  "  the  mean  living  many  so  edu- 
cated were  afterwards  able  to  obtain  "  was  a  suflBcient  proof  to  Frank- 
lin's father  that  worldly  success  was  not  surely  to  be  won  after  so 
great  an  expense. 

To  understaml  Franklin's  notions  of  education  it  is  necessary  to 
trace  his  own.  He  remembered  in  hi.s  old  age  how  his  father  "at  the 
table  liked  to  have,  as  often  as  he  could,  some  sensible  friend  or  neigh- 
bor to  converse  with,  and  always  took  care  to  start  some  ingenious  or 
useful  topic  for  discourse,  which  might  tend  to  improve  the  minds  of 
his  children.  By  this  means  he  turned  our  attention  to  what  was 
good,  just,  and  prudent,  in  the  conduct  of  life."  This  insight  into 
Franklin's  childhood  shows  how  early,  in  life  his  mind  was  impressed 

9 


10  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

with  the  paramount  importance  of  things  ingenious  or  useful,  and  to 
the  end  of  his  life  he  judged  of  the  value  of  men's  labors  by  their  use- 
ftilness  to  mankind.  When  it  was  to  be  decided  at  what  employment 
Franklin  should  be  put,  his  father  sought  a  practical  solution  of  the 
problem  by  taking  him  to  walk  with  him,  "  and  see  joiners,  bricklayers, 
turners,  braziers,  etc.,  at  their  work,  that  he  might  observe  my  inclina- 
tion, and  endeavor  to  fix  it  on  some  trade  or  profession  that  would 
keep  me  on  land.  It  has  ever  since  been  a  pleasure  to  me  to  see  good 
workmen  handle  their  tools;  and  it  has  been  often  useful  to  me  to 
have  learnt  so  nmch  by  it  as  to  be  able  to  do  some  trifling  jobs  in  the 
house,  when  a  workman  could  not  readily  be  got,  and  to  construct  little 
machines  for  my  experiments,  while  the  intention  of  making  the  ex- 
periment was  fresh  and  warm  in  my  mind." 

From  a  child  he  was  fond  of  reading,  and  he  tells  us  that  he  spent 
the  little  money  that  came  into  his  hands  for  books.  It  is  natural  for 
a  man  to  insist  that  the  education  of  the  young  should  be  like  that 
which  he  received  himself,  and  the  books  which  Franklin  read  in  his 
boyhood  remained,  in  kis  opinion,  the  proper  books  /or  all  children  to 
read.  "The  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  Burton's  "Historical  Collections," 
I)e  Foe's  "Essay  on  Projects,"  and  Dr.  Mather's  "  Essays  to  do  Good" 
had  an  influence  on  some  of  the  principal  events  of  Franklin's  life.  It 
may  be  said  that  two  of  these  books,  "  Pilgrim's  Progress"  and  De 
Foe's  "  Essay  on  Projects "  are  among  the  most  fertile  books  ever 
written.  In  evidence,  it  may  be  said,  that  exceptthe  Bible,  "  Pilgrim's 
Progress"  is  more  freely  read  throughout-  the  world  than  any  other 
book,  and  De  Foe's  "E.ssay  on  Projects"  contains  intimations  and 
projections  of  nearly  all  the  most  salutary  reforms  in  morals,  in  law, 
and  in  pra^;tical  ethics  that  have  since  blessed  the  world. 

It  was  Franklin's  bookish  inclinations  that  made  him  a  printer,  and 
to  the  end  of  his  life  iu^.  ilhisti'ated,  whenever  he  had  occasion  to  speak 
or  write  on  educational  matters,  how  his  training  as  a  printer  <k'ter- 
mined  his  ideas  in  education. 

His  mind  was  universal,  and  he  was,  therefore,  interested  in  all 
hiinian  affairs.  As  a  boy,  he  took  a  peculiar  interest  in  the  drama,  and 
to  the  en<l  of  his  life  was  fond  of  the  theater.  On  this  mimic  stage 
he  saw  the  larger  action  of  life  epitomized,  and  he  was  doubtless  able 
to  draw  conrlusions  from  the  conduct  of  the  players  on  the  stage  which 
were  of  value  to  him  in  his  large  diidomatic  action.  Throughout  his 
works  are  constant  references  to  the  plays  of  the  day,  and  he  is  fond  of 
illustrating  a  letter  to  a  friend  by  a  passing  remark  ujwn  some  popular 
play.  His  Iwyhood  was  cast  in  the  age  of  ballad  mongery,  and  to  the 
end  of  hifi  days  he  enjoyed  that  kind  of  literature.  The  petty  vender 
of  street  ballads  is  the  potent  illustration  of  the  persist<incy  of  this  kind 
of  literature  to  our  day. 

A  booki.sh  boy  would  make  friends  of  bookish  lads,  and  one  John 
Colhus,  with  whom  Franklin  early  became  acquainted,  enabled  him  to 


franklin's  self-education.  11 

enter  upon  a  new  epoch  in  life — the  epoch  of  conversation.  Between 
these  boys  there  were  long  controversies  on  the  passing  questions  of 
the  day,  and  on  the  various  theories  in  the  projection  of  which  youtba 
are  so  fertile.  Collins,  we  are  told,  denied  the  "  propriety  of  educating 
the  female  sex  in  learning,  and  their  abilities  for  study."  Franklin 
took  the  opposite  side,  and  it  seems  to  have  converted  him  in  favor  of 
woman's  education.  It  was  this  controversy  which,  left  unsettled  in 
conversation,  was  carried  on  by  correspondence,  and  Franklin  thus 
began  to  be  a  writer.    He  tells  us  th'at — 

Three  or  four  letters  of  a  side  had  passed,  "when  my  father  happened  to  find  my 
papers  and  read  them.  Without  entering  into  tlie  discussion,  he  took  occasion  to  talk 
to  mo  about  the  manner  of  my  writing;  observed  that  though  I  had  the  Advantage  of 
my  antagonist  in  correct  spelling  and  pointing  (which  I  owed  to  the  printing  house) 
I  fell  far  short  in  elegance  of  expression,  in  method  and  perspicuity,  of  which  he 
convinced  me  by  several  instances.  1  saw  the  justice  of  his  remarks,  and  tHence 
grew  more" attentive  to  the  manner  in  writing  and  determined  to  endeavor  at  im- 
provement. 

This  proof  of  the  ability  of  Franklin  to  compare  himself  with  others 
is  significant,  for  it  illustrates  one  of  the  chief  powers  of  his  mind. 
He  was  quick  to  notice  points  of  superiority  or  of  inferiority,  and  being 
ambitious  to  excel  he  proceeded  in  the  most  practical  way  to  overcome 
the  deficiencies.  The  method  in  which  he  overcame  them  became,  in 
his  opinion,-  the  right  procedure  for  all  other  persons  in  a  similar  con- 
dition, and  it  was  later  formulated  by  him  as  a  method  in  education; 
it  was  to  take  the  best  writings  of  the  day  and  to  imitate  them.  *  Hap- 
pily for  him,  Addison  was  giving  the  "Spectator"  to  the  world;  and  an 
odd  volume,  a  third,  fell  into  Franklin's  hands.  He  tells  us  that  the 
reading  of  it  produced  a  sensation  new  to  him.  He  read  it  again  and 
again  and  was  delighted  with  it,  and  he  afterwards  laid  down  the  prop- 
osition that  all  children  could  derive  the  same  benefit  from  the  "Spec- 
tator" which  he  had  derived. 

His  method  was  simple,  yet  original ;  it  was  to  read  the  "  Spectator" 
antl  to  rewrite  it  from  memory;  he  compared  his  version  with  the 
original,  and  corrected  and  rewrote  it  until  his  own  composition  was 
as  perfect  as  that  of  Addison  himself.  Thi&  taught  him  the  limitations 
of  his  own  vocabulary  and  led  him,  doubtless,  afterwards  to  insert  in  Ins 
plan  for  the  education  of  youth  a  provision  for  the  study  of  the  die 
tiouary.  In  his  "  Sketch  of  an  English  School "  he  provides,  for  the 
first  or  lowest  class  to  which  children  of  his  age  when  he  began  read- 
ing the  "  Spectator"  would  belong,  that — 

A  vocabulary  of  the  most  usual  difiicnlt  words  might  be  formed  for  their  use,  with 
exydanations;  and  they  might  daily  get  a  few  of  those  words  and  explanations  by 
ho:irt,  which  would  a  little  exercise  their  memories;  or  at  least  they  mlglit  write  a 
number  of  them  in  a  small  book  for  the  purpose,  which  would  lielp  to  fix  the  mean- 
ing of  those  words  in  their  minds,  and  at  the  same  time  furnish  every  one  with  a 
little  dictionary  for  his  future  use. 

His  own  boyish  experiences  taught  him  the  necessity  for  a  vocabu- 


12  TUK   UNIVEUSITY   OV   PENNSYLVANIA. 

lary,  and  not  for  a  vocabulary  merely,  but  for  a  vocabulary  always  re- 
sjmnsive  to  the  thouglit  that  the  word  used  might  be  the  best  word 
that  could  be  used.  This  opiuiou,  formulated  by  Frauklin  in  his 
^'Sketch  of  an  Enjflish  School  for  the  Consideration  of  the  Trustees  of 
the  Philadeljdiia  Academy,"  to  which  I  shall  frequently  refer,  is  plainly 
the  result  of  Franklin's  experience  in  self-education;  and  when  he  tells 
us  in  his  "Autobiography"  that  he  made  verses  because  their  composi- 
tion laid  him  under  the  constant  necessity  of  searching  for  variety  of 
words  and  for  words  exactly,  suited  to  the  thought,  and  that  he  turned 
talffs  into  verse,  and  after  he  had  forgotten  the  prose  turned  them  back 
again,  and  in  this  manner,  by  comparing  his  work  afterwards  with  the 
original,  discovered  his  faults  and  amended  them,  we  catch  a  glimpse 
of  the  value  of  comparison  in  education,  and  not  merely  of  compari- 
son, but  of  comparison  made  for  practical  purposes.  So  x)erfectly  did 
this  scheme  work  that  he  tells  us  in  a  delightful  way  how  he'sometimes 
had  the  jdeasure  of  fancying  that  in  certain  parts  of  small  import  he 
had  been  lucky,  enough  to  improve  the  method  or  the  language,  and 
this  encouraged  him  to  think  he  might  possibly,  in  time,  come  to  be  a 
"tolerable  English  writer,"  of  which  he  was  exti*emely  ambitious;  and 
to  show  how  such  a  result  was  possible  for  any  one  who,  like  himself, 
was  an  indented  apprentice,  he  adds  that  the  time  for  making  these 
exercises  and  for  reading  was  at  night  after  his  work  was  done,  or  in 
the  morning  before  it  began,  or  even  on  Sundays  when  he  was  alone; 
and  ^s  he  rather  dislikied  to  attend  church,  he  eased  his  conscience  by 
perfecting  himself  in  English  style.  Certainly  the  judgment  of  pos- 
terity has  awarded  him  a  first  rank  in  English  composition;  in  other 
words,  Franklin  takes  pains  to  tell  us  how  his  self-education  was  a 
success,  and  how  all  other  i)eople,  if  they  choose,  may  educate  them- 
selves and  become  "  tolerable  English  writers." 

He  soon  discovered  his  ignorance  in  figures,  and  at  17  was  old  enough 
to  be  ashamed  of  it.  He  overcame  his  deficiency  in  figures  as  he  had 
overcome  his  defidency  in  composition,  by  taking  "  Cocker's  Arithmetic" 
and  going  through  the  whole  by  himself  "  with  great  ease."  Not  only 
arithmetic,  but  books  of  navigation.  Seller's  and  Shermy's,  were  studied 
in  the  same  manner,  but,  having  no  practical  use  for  theliigher  mathe- 
matics, he  never  pursued  them.  About  this  time  he  read  Locke  "  On 
the  Human  Understanding,"  and  the  "Art  of  Thinking,"  by  Messis.  Du 
Port  Royal. 

Intent  on  improving  his  language,  he  found  an  English  grammar, 
Greenwood's,  at  the  end  of  which  "  there  were  two  little  sketches  of  the 
arts  of  rhetoric  and  logic,  the  latter  finishing  with  a  specimen  of  a  dis- 
pute in  the  Socratic  method,"  and  he  soon  afterwards  procured  Xeno- 
jdion's  " Memorable  Things  of  Socrates."  He  had  made  a  discovery: 
If  Addison  had  charmed  him,  Xenophon  captivated  him,  and  from 
Xenophon  he  learned  the  greatest  lesson  of  his  life.  "  From  that  time," 
says  he,  "  I  was  charmed  by  it,  adopted  it,  dropped  my  abruj)t  contra- 


franklin's  self-education  13 

diction  and  positive  Jirjjiiiuentation,  and  put  on  the  humble  inquirer 
and  doubter." 

Again  and  again  in  the  ''Autobiography"  and  from  otlier  sources  we 
learn  howFranklin  through  his  long  life  avoided  dogmatic  disputation 
and  won  his  cause  quite  as  much  by  liis  practice  in  the  art  of  doubting 
and  <iuestioning  as  by  his  powers  for  confutation.  He  was  a  born  dip- 
lomat, and  his  sense  of  the  principles  of  diplomacy  was  early  manifest. 
So  important  did  the  Socratic  method  become  in  his  ideas  of  education 
that,  in  drawing  up  his  "Proposals  relatiug  to  the  Education  of  Youth 
in  Pennsylvania,"  out  of  which  grew  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
he  encouraged  all  those  studies  which  involve  conversation  and  writing. 
He  would  acquaint  youth  with  the  best  models  among  the  ancients, 
particularly  pointing  out  their  beauties.  But  his  diplomatic  experience 
made  him  familiar  with  the  feebleness  of  mere  talk,  and  he  said: 

Modem  political  oratory  being  chiefly  performed  by  the  pen  and  press,  its  advan- 
tages over  the  ancients  in  some  respects  are  to  be  shown ;  as  that  its  effects  are  more 
extensive  and  more  lasting. 

He  anticipated  the  age  of  books,  newspapers,  magazines,  and  the 
numerous  jiroductions  of  pen  and  press,  and  was  fully  conscious  of  the 
enormous  and  superior  power  of  the  printed  page  over  the  spoken 
word ;  so,  from  his  own  experience,  he  advocated  all  those  studies  by 
which  the  human  mind  is  most  widely  reached  and  most  powerfully  in- 
fluenced. 

His  own  writings  are  frequently  in  the  Socratic  method,^  and  in  Jiis 
"  Sketch  of  an  English  School "  he  advocated  the  reading  of  short 
pieces  by  the  master,  not  exceeding  the  length  of  a  "  Spectator,"  with  the 
proper  modulations  of  voice,  due  emphasis,  and  suitable  action  where 
action  is  required,  and  that  the  youth  should  imitate  the  manner  of  the 
original.  The  beauties  of  the  piece  were  to  be  discussed  by  the  in- 
structor, and  from  a  variety  of  readings,  by  wlkich  good  styles  of  all 
kinds  were  made  known,  children  should  learn  to  imitate  such  excel- 
lence and  be  able  readily  to  put  their  thoughts  into  the  form  best 
adapted  to  accomplish  the  end. 

Having  discovered  the  value  of  the  Socratic  method,  he  next  dis- 
covered the  value  of  expressing  himself  in  terms  of  modest  dittidence, 
and  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  was  noted  for  the  modesty  with  which  he 
advanced  his  opinions.  Perhaps  no  illustration  of  this  quality  is  liner 
than  his  speech  read  to  the  convention  of  1787  in  its  closing  words. 
Franklin  himself  was  too  feeble  to  read  his  sj)eech,  and  his  colleague, 
Thomas  Wilson,  read  it  for  him.  Perhaps  this  speech  gave  us  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

I  coufbss  [said  Franklin]  that  there  are  several  parts  in  this  Constitntion  that  I 
do  not  at  present  approve,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  I  shall  never  approve  them,  for, 
having  lived  long,  I  have  experienced  many  instances  of  being  obliged  by  better  in- 
formation or  fjiUer  consideration  to  change  opinions,  even  on  important  subjects, 
which  I  once  thought  right,  but  found  to  be  otherwise.  It  is,  tlierefore,  that  the 
older  I  grow  the  more  apt  I  am  to  doubt  my  own  judgment  and  to  pay  more  respect 


14  THK    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

TO  the  judgment  of  others.  Most  men,  indeed,  as  well  as  most  sects  in  religion, 
think  themselves  in  possession  of  all  truth,  and  that  whenever  others  differ  from 
them  it  is  so  far  error. 

And  then  he  characteristically  points  his  speech  by  atelliBg  illustra- 
tion : 

Steele,  a  protestant  in  education,  tells  Pope  that  the  only  difference  between  our 
churches  in  their  opinions  of  the  certainty  of  their  doctrines  is  that  the  Church  of 
Rome  is  infallible  and  the  Church  of  England  is  never  in  the  wrong.  But  though 
so  many  private  iiersons  think  almost  as  highly  of  their  own  infallibity  as  they  do 
of  their  sect,  few  express  it  so  naturally  as  a  certain  French  lady,  wlio,  in  a  dispute 
with  her  sister  said :  "I  do  not  know  how  it  happens,  sister,  but  I  meet  with  nobody 
but  myself  that  is  always  in  the  right" — "il  n'y  a  personne  que  moi  qui  a  toujours 
raison." 

It  is  not  often  that  the  lessons  of  childhood  regulate  our  lives,  but  the 
Socratic  method  of  Franklin's  boyhood  determined  his  whole  attitude 
toward  public  questions,  and,  probably  more  than  any  other  character- 
istic of  the  man,  made  him  the  most  successful  diplomat  that  oiir  country 
has  ever  had.  Frequently  in  addressing  his  younger  friends  ho  laid 
down  the  lesson  of  modest  diffidence  as  highly  conducive  to  practical 
success  in  life.  His  defense  for  this  training  was  that  if  we  advance 
our  vsentiments  too  dogmatically  we  may  not  only  provoke  contradiction, 
but  prevent  a  candid  attention,  so  that  he  bases  his  philosophy  of  diffi- 
dence upon  its  utility. 

The  facility  with  which  Franklin  had  undertaken  his  self- education 
in  literature  and  in  mathematics  characterized  all  his  efforts  in  practi- 
cal aftjiirs.  Throughout  his  "  Autobiography"  he  is  fond  of  mentioning, 
whenever  he  can,  the  advantages  of  self-education.  The  principle 
which  won  success  in  rewriting  a  "Spectatoi'"  he  applied  in  industry, 
and  soon  detected  its  virtues  in  jiractical  affairs.  Like  all  self-educated 
men,  his  experience  crystallized  in  maxims,  some  of  which  he  formulated 
liiraself,  but  nearly  all  of  them  were  taken  from  the  experience  of  man- 
kin«l  at  large.  liike  Daniel  Webster,  Franklin  made  great  use  of  the 
labor  of  others,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  his  account  of  the  principles 
and  morals  which  influenced  the  events  of  his  life. 

My  parent*  [ho  writes]  had  early  given  me  religious  impressions,  and  brought 
mo  through  my  childhood  piotisly  in  the  dissenting  way.  Rut  I  was  scarce  15, 
when,  after  doubting  by  turns  several  points,  as  I  found  tlu-m  disputed  in  the  dif- 
fen-nt  brtoks  I  rrad,  I  began  to  doubt  of  the  Revelation  itself.  Some  books  against 
deism  fell  into  my  hands;  they  were  said  to  be  the  substance  of  the  sermons  wliich 
had  been  j)roachc-d  at  Hoyle's  lectures.  It  happened  that  they  wrought  an  effect  on 
me  <|uito  contrary  to  what  was  intended  by  them,  for  the  arguments  of  the  deists, 
which  were  quoted  to  be  refuted,  appeared  to  me  much  stronger  than  the  refuta- 
tions; in  sliort,  I  soon  became  a  thorough  deist. 

Hi.s  habit  of  doubting  where  he  could  not  overcome  by  an  adequate 
reply  bred  in  him  not  only  a  love  of  experiment  to  test  the  explana- 
tions of  j)henomena,  but  letl  him  when  he  was  unable  to  obtain  a  satis- 
factory explanation  to  remain  in  doubt.  He  was  one  of  the  greatest 
of  experimentalists.  As  might  be  expected  of  one  whose  whole  phi- 
losophy was  utilitarian,  his  life  is  replete  with  apt  illustrations  of  the 


franklin's  self-education.  .  15 

utility  of  experiments,  so  that  his  biographer  is  able  to  give  several 
pages  to  the  mere  enumeration  of  his  discoveries,  all  of  which  were  of 
a  useful  kind,  such  as :  The  deliverance  of  mankind  from  smoky  chim- 
neys; tlie  practical  means  of  ventilation;  numerous  discoveries  in 
electricity;  the  determination  of  the  temperature  of  the  Gulf  Stream; 
the  consumption  by  a  fire  of  its  own  smoke;  the  construction  of  water- 
tight compartments  in  ships;  and  others.  So  strong  was  his  habit  of 
observation  that  in  his  various  journeys  across  the  ocean,  and  in  the 
colonies,  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  on  the  Continent,  lie  was 
always  alert  to  detect  not  only  tlie  wants  of  the  peojile  in  wliatsoever 
region  lie  was  traveling,  and  the  means  for  supplying  those  wants,  but 
he  also  gave  minute  attention  to  natural  history,  as  when  on  his  first 
voyage  irom  Philadelphia  to  England  in  172G,  being  then  in  his  twen- 
tieth year,  he  records  in  his  journal  changes  in  the  color  of  dolphins, 
and  experiinents  with  doljihins  living  and  dead  to  determine  the  cause 
of  the  loss  of  their  luster;  and  a  few  days  later  he  makes  observations 
on  a  shellfish  found  upon  a  floating  weed  in  the  Gulf  Stream,  and 
records  that  in  order  to  strengthen  his  conjecture  whether  his  opinions 
with  respect  to  the  development  of  this  creature  were  true  he  resolved 
to  keep  "  the  weed  in  salt  water,  renewing  it  every  day,  till  we  came 
on  shore,  by  this  experiment  to  see  whether  any  more  crabs  will  be 
produced  or  not  in  this  manner."  His  own  powers  of  observation  and 
comi)arison  being  of  the  highest  order,  he  naturally  imputed  to  the 
effects  of  such  powers  when  exercised  by  man  many  of  the  advantages 
which  he  himself  derived  from  them.  This  doubtless  led  him  in  his 
"Plan  for  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania"  to  encourage  ex- 
perimentation,  that  by  instruction  in  mechanics  men  might  be  inlbrmed 
"of  the  principles  of  that  art  by  which  weak  men  perform  such  won- 
ders, labor  is  saved,  and  manufactures  expedited." 

And,  again,  touching  on  agriculture,  a  subject  which  received  careful 
attention  from  liis  eminent  contemporaries  Washington  and  Jetferson, 
having  aftirmcd  that  "natural  history  will  also  afford  opportunities  of 
introducing  many  observations  relating  to  the  preservation  of  health, 
which  may  be  afterwards  of  great  use,"  he  adds: 

While  they  (the  sttuleiits)  are  reading  natural  history  might  not  a  little  gardening, 
planting,  grafting,  and  inoculating  ho  taught  and  practiced;  and  noAV  and  then  ex- 
cursions to  the  neighboring  plantations  of  the  hest  farmers,  their  methods  observed 
and  reasoned  upon  for  the  information  of  youth,  the  improvement  of  agriculture 
being  useful  to  all,  and  skill  in  it  no  disparagement  to  any? 

We  should  not  forget  that  modern  life  compels  a  curricuhini  in  tech- 
nical instruction  in  our  colleges  and  universities  which  could  not 
possibly  be  called  for  in  Franklin's  time.  lie  lived  before  the  manufac- 
turing epoch;  before  the  age  of  rapid  transi)ortation  and  the  applica- 
tion of  electricity  and  steam  to  the  wants  of  man;  therefore  we  need 
not  expect  to  find  in  his  "Proposals  for  the  Education  of  Youth"  the 
equipment  of  a  moderu  chemical,  mechanical,  or  biological  laboratory. 


!•;  THE    U^'IVEliyiTi'    OF    1'E^■^■SYLVA^'1A. 

The  ciiief  ofcupjitioii  of  xVinericans  was  farming,  and  like  VVasbiiigtotl 
and  Jerterson,  as  avc  shall  see  later,  lie  advocated  all  possible  experi- 
ments which  would  imjirove  the  princii)al  eini)loyment  of  the  times  in 
which  he  lived  and  greatly  add  to  its  productivity.  But  the  i)rinciple 
by  which  he  was  animated  was  the  same  as  that  which  when  apjilied 
has  equii>ped  the  best  laboratories  of  the  modern  educational  world. 

The  first  step  in  science  is  to  doubt,  and  Franklin  at  eighteen  had 
taken  that  step.  Ho  began  to  formulate  from  his  own  reason  and  ob- 
servation the  principles  or  maxims  of  the  moral  world.  An  experi- 
menter by  birth,  and  by  his  intellectual  powers  and  by  his  training 
becoming  usefully  conventional  in  his  manner  both  of  acquiring  and  of 
giving  knowletlge,  he  adapted  himself  to  the  conditions  about  him  and 
escaped  eccentricity,  so  that  he  was  enabled  to  influence  the  world  by 
his  principles  of  life  when  another  man,  equally  intellectual,  by  neglect- 
ing to  adapt  himself  to  the  conventions  of  society  would  have  had  no  in- 
fluence over  it  whatever. 

Frankli  n's  sociology  was  founded  on  his  conception  of  the  general 
welfare;  this  was  to  him  the  great  problem  of  life.  It  is  to  him  we  are 
indebted  for  the  established  use  of  the  ])hrase  "  the  general  welfare." 
His  large  conception  of  humanity  made  him  a  citizen  of  the  world  and 
his  conception  of  morality  was  founded  upon  his  interpretation  of  the 
general  welfare.     He  says: 

I  grew  convinced  that  trnth,  sincerity,  and  integtity  in  dealings  between  man  and 
man  wj-re  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  felicity  of  life,  and  I  formed  written  reso- 
lutions, which  still  ri-main  in  my  journal  book,  to  practice  them  ever  while  I  lived. 

Observation  had  taught  him  the  utility  of  virtue,  and  it  may  be  said 
that  had  there  been  no  system  of  morality  in  the  world  when  Franklin 
was  born  he  would  have  produced  one  and  would  have  founded  it  upon 
experimentation,  and  his  experimentation  would  have  been  based s'olely 
upon  the  doctrine  of  utility. 

We  are  not  surprised  to  learn  from  him  that  revelation  had  little 
weight  with  him;  that  he  entertained  the  opinion  that  certain  actions 
should  be  forbidden  because  they  were  not  beneficial  to  man,  not  that 
they  were  to  be  considered  injurious  to  man  because  they  were  forbid- 
den. In  other  words,  all  that  promotes  the  general  welfare  is  good, 
all  that  hinders  it  is  batl.  Yet  his  childhood  teaching  had  bred  in  him 
the  belief  in  the  existence  of  a  God,  and  with  this  primary  conception 
of  the  Divine  Providence  controlling  the  destiny  of  the  human  race 
he  joined  the  utilitariivn  doctrine  that  truth  and  sincerity  and  integ- 
rity are  virtues,  ]>ecause  they  are  of  the  utmost  imiMirtance  to  the  feli<;ity 
of  life;  therefore,  in  his  "Sketch  of  an  English  School,"  he  would  have 
all  the  lessons  chosen  for  reading  "contain  some  useful  instruction 
whereby  the  understanding  of  youth  may  at  the  same  tinie  be  ini 
proved."  He  would  have  Dr.  Johnson's  "  First  Principles  of  Morality" 
reail  \)\  scholars  in  the  fifth  form,  "and  explained  by  the  master  to  lay 


fuanklin's  self-education.  17 

a  solid  to.  adjitiou  of  virtue  aud  piety  in  their  minds."    And  in  liia 
•  Proposals  for  the  Education  of  Youtli  in  Pennsylvania"  he  remarks: 

As  to  tlieir  atutlies,  it  would  be  well  if  they  could  be  taught  everything  that  is 
useful  and  everything  that  ia  ornamental.  But  art  is  long,  and  their  time  is  short. 
It  is  therefore  proposed  that  they  learn  those  things  that  are  likely  to  be  nuist  useful 
and  most  ornamental;  regard  being  had  to  the  several  professions  for  which  they  are 
intended. 

And  he  would  teach  morality  "  by  descanting  and  making  continual 
observations  on  the  causes  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  any  man's  character, 
fortune,  and  power,  mentioned  in  history;  the  advantages  of  temper- 
ance, order,  frugality,  industry,  and  perseverance." 

It  is  to  be  noticed  that  he  valued  temperance,  order,  and  frugality 
and  the  other  virtues  as  advantageous  to  the  general  welfare,  and  did 
not  recommend  the  study  of  morality  for  its  own  sake.  Because  the 
virtues  were  so  advantageous,  he  declared  "the  general  natural  tend- 
ency of  reading  good  history  must  be  to  fix  in  the  minds  of  the  youth 
deep  impressions  of  the  beauty  and-  usefulness  of  virtue  of  all  kinds, 
public  spirit,  and  foi-titude." 

Having  laid  down  the  proposition  that  virtue  was  advantageous  and 
that  it  might  be  taught  by  exaini)les  from  history,  he  turned  to  the  sub- 
ject of  religion  in  the  curriculum,  and  advocated  its  presence  there  for 
the  same  reason  that  he  had  received  it  into  his  own  philosophy.' 

History  [he  says]  will  also  afford  freiiuent  opportunities  of  showing  the  necessity 
of  a  public  religion,  from  its  usefulness  to  the  public,  the  advantages  of  a  religious 
character  among  private  persons,  the  mischief  of  superstition,  and  the  excellency 
of  the  Christian  religion  above  all  others,  ancient  or  modern. 

In  other  words,  Franklin  found  religion  in  the  world  and  he  conclu- 
ded that  it  was  a  necessary  element  in  promoting  and  securing  the 
general  welfare,  and  because  it  is  necessary,  therefore  it  should  be  ob- 
servetl;  but  Franklin,  unlike  Emerson,  would  not  have  produced  a  sys- 
tem of  religion  had  there  been  none  in  the  world  in  his  time.  Having 
admitted  by  the  force  of  his  own  self-experimentation  the  necessity  of 
religion  in  society,  he  deduces  its  usefulness  to  the  i)ublic,  and  this 
giving  occasion  for  another  indulgence  in  comixirison,  he  at  once  con- 
eluded  that  "the  Christian  religion  above  all  others,  ancient  or  modern, 
was  the  most  excellent."  Had  Franklin  been  born  in  India  he  proba- 
bly would  have  advocated  the  religion  of  Buddha. 

The  notion  that  history  aftbrds  frequent  opportunities  of  showing  the 
necessity  of  a  public  religion  from  its  usefulness  to  the  public,  which  is 
laid  down  in  his  "Proi)Osals  for  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsyl- 
vania," of  17-il),  was  anticipated  thirty  years  before,  as  he  tells  us  in 
his  "Autobiography."  His  observations  before  his  twentieth  year 
having  taught  him  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  ingenious  ac- 
quaintance, he  organized  the  famous  club  called  the  "Junto,"  which 
met  on  Friday  evenings,  and  he  drew  up  rules  for  its  procedure.  Three 
<lasses  of  subjects  were  to  be  discussed  by  the  company — morals,  poli- 
1180 2 


18  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

tiCvS,  and  natural  philosophy — for  these  three  couiprelieiided  all  the  utili- 
ties, aud  the  wise  understanding  ofthe  principles  of  them  vould  contrib- 
ute to  the  general  welfare.  In  making  up  the  Junto,  Franklin  took  men 
who  were  successfully  engaged  in  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  life.  There 
was  a  copier  of  deeds,  a  surveyor,  a  shoemaker,  a  mechanic,  a  mer- 
chant's clerk,  several  printers,  and  a  "witty  gentleman  of  fortune." 
Franklin  would  have  us  believe  that  one  common  interest  held  these 
men  together — the  love  of  books.  If  I  were  to  name  the  symbol  of 
Franklin's  philosophy  of  education,  I  should  say  a  book.  Dr.  Frank- 
lin and  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  were  as  little  alike  as  any  two  men  of  that 
age  in  their  ideas  of  politics  and  religion ;  they  were  both  self-educated 
men,  and  the  means  of  their  education  was  books.  It  was  Dr.  Johnson 
who  said,  "Kead  anything  five  hours  a  day  and  you  will  soon  be 
learned."  Franklin  and  Johnson  were  the  two  great  men  of  that  cen- 
tury who  owed  their  power  and  place  in  life  to  their  love  of  books. 
Franklin,  like  Carlyle,  probably  would  have  said,  "The  best  university 
is  the  best  collection  of  books." 

The  Junto  at  Philadelphia  was  the  first  book-loving  and  book  mak- 
ing body  of  men  of  America,  for  out  of  their  labors  grew-  the  Library 
Company  of  Philadelphia,  which  became  the  parent  of  all  the  circu- 
lating libraries  of  America.  The  place  of  books  in  Franklin's  [)hiloso- 
phy  of  education  is  almost  paramount  j  he  recognized  the  lasting 
l>ower  of  the  printed  page,  and  therefore  in  his  scheme  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  children  he  elaborates  liis  theory  of  education  in  making  pro- 
vision for  their  exhaustive  practice  of  composition  and  the  reading  of 
books.  We  must  not  forget  that  at  the  time  that  the  Junto  was  formed 
books  were  scarce  in  America,  that  the  ability  to  reatl  and  write  was 
not  common  in  the  colonies,  that  there  were  no  American  libraries,  and 
that  books  were  expensive. 

Each  of  the  six  classes  into  which  Franklin  would  divide  his  ideal 
English  School  was  chiefly  engaged  in  composition  and  in  reading. 
His  first,  or  lowest,  class  should  read  pieces  such  as  "Croxall's  Fables," 
which  were  to  be  read  aloud  to  them  by  the  master  and  the  difficult 
words  explained.  It  was  this  class  which  was  to  exercise  memory  by 
daily  getting  new  words  and  by  making  a  "little  dictionary  for  future 
use,"  In  the  study  of  the  "Fables"  very  great  care  was  to  be  taken 
for  the  imi)rovement  in  orthograj)hy  by  learning  the  English  grammar 
rules,  and  every  eflort  made  to  secure  "good  spellers  very  early." 
Franklin,  like  all  printers,  had  a  horror  of  bad  spelling.  "For,"  said 
he,  "it  is  a  shame  for  a  man  to  be  so  ignorant  of  this  little  art  in  his 
own  language  as  to  be  perpetually  confounding  words  of  like  sound 
and  diflerent  significations."  This  wa«  the  child's  first  eqnipment— to 
understand  a  book.  t 

The  second  class  was  "to  be  taught  reading  with  attention  and  with 
proper  modulations  of  the  voice,  according  to  the  sentiment  and  the 
subject"    It  is  a  pity  that  so  many  teachers  of  our  day  are  almost  in 


fkanklin's  self-education.  19 

total  ignorance  of  the  inexpressible  value  to  the  child  of  understanding 
what  he  reads,  and  one  of  the  saddest  errors  in  primary  education  is 
the  omission  to  teach  "reading  with  attention  and  with  proper  motlu- 
lations  of  the  voice,  according  to  the  sentiment  and  the  subject."  The 
understanding  of  the  lessons  in  the  second  class  would  require  them  to 
give  an  account  first  of  the  i>arts  of  speech  and  the  construction  of  one 
or  two  sentences,  which  would  oblige  them  to  recur  frequently  to  their 
grammar,  and  to  fix  its  principal  rules  in  their  memories;  "next,  of  the 
intention  of  the  writer  or  the  scope  of  the  piece,  the  meaning  of  each 
sentence,  and  of  every  uncommon  word.  This  would  early  acquaint 
them  with  the  meaning  and  force  of  words,  and  give  them  that  most 
necessary  habit  of  reading  with  attention."  It  was  to  this  class  that 
the  master  was  to  point  out  all  the  beauties  and  lessons  of  the  pieces. 
Variety  of  subject  and  style  in  prose  and  verse,  stories,  sermons,  the 
sj^eeches  of  generals  to  their  soldiers,  which  comprised  the  most  inter- 
esting portions  of  "Plutarch's  Lives,"  with  which  Franklin  had  become 
familiar  in  his  boyhood,  speeches  in  tragedy  and  in  comedy,  the  mimic 
world  which  Franklin  loved,  odes,  satires,  letters,  and  blank  verse, 
all  comprising  the  various  equipment  of  the  man  who  would  express 
himself  readily  to  his  fellow-man,  were  to  constitute  the  reading  lessons. 

An  examination  of  a  modern  series  of  readers  will  show  at  a  glance 
the  world's  opinion  of  Franklin's  plan  for  the  instruction  of  classes  by 
well-chosen  lessons  for  reading,  and  I  venture  to  say  that  the  one  book 
in  our  jiublic  schools  which  conveys,  or  can  be  made  to  convey,  the 
greatest  amount  of  training  is  the  reading  book. 

In  order  that  children  might  read  with  attention  Franklin  required : 

That  they  should  first  study  and  xmderstand  the  lessons  before  they  are  put  upon 
leading  them  properly,  to  which  end  each  boy  should  have  an  English  dictionary  to 
help  him  over  diflicnlties.  When  our  boys  read  English  to  us  we  are  apt  to  imagine 
they  understand  Avhat  they  read,  because  wo  do,  and  because  it  is  their  mother 
tongue ;  but  they  often  read,  as  parrots  speak,  knowing  little  or  nothing  of  the  mean- 
ing; and  it  i$  impossible  that  a  reader  should  give  the  due  modulation  to  his  voice 
and  pronounce  properly  unless  his  understanding  goes  before  his  tongue  and  makes 
him  master  of  the  sentiment.  Accustoming  boys  to  read  aloud  what  they  do  not 
first  understand  is  the  cause  of  those  even,  set  tones,  so  common  among  readers, 
which  when  they  had  once  got  a  habit  of  using  they  find  so  difficult  to  correct, 
by  which  means  among  fifty  readers  we  scarcely  find  a  good  one.  For  want  of  good 
nadiug,  pieces  published  with  a  view  to  influence  the  minds  of  men  for  their  own 
or  the  public  benefit  lose  half  their  force.  Were  there  but  one  good  reader  in  a 
neighborhood  a  public  orator  might  be  heard  throughout  a  nation  with  the  same 
advantages,  and  have  the  same  effect  upon  his  audience  as  if  they  stood  within  the 
reach  of  his  voice. 

Here,  as  ever,  Franklin  bases  his  ideas  of  education  upon  the  ad- 
^  antages  which  were  to  be  derived  from  them  in  promoting  the  general 
welfare.  He  would  have  b|;y'S  learn  reading  in  order  to  understand 
the  sentiment,  and  not  merely  to  understand,  but  that  the  sentiment 
might  influence  them  as  if  it  had  been  spoken  to  them,  for  a  book 
in  Franklin's  opinion  had  no  right  to  exist  unless  it  contributed  to  the 


20  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANU. 

public  benetit,  and  reading,  the  means  by  which  the  thought  of  the 
book  Avas  made  public,  sh<mld  be  taught  to  the  advantage  of  the  whole 
nation.  There  will  bo  occasion  frequently  to  refer  to  Franklin's  plan 
for  the  education  of  children. 

The  Junto  was  almost  as  advantageous  to  Franklin  and  his  asso- 
ciates as  any  university  of  the  times  could  have  been.  Uis  conception 
of  the  methods  and  possibilities  of  self-education  was  large,  and  the 
a<;tive  interest  which  each  member  of  the  Junto  showed  in  its  pros- 
l)erity  demonstrated  to  him  the  advantage  in  general  education  of  the 
same  methods  which  made  the  Junto  prosperous.  The  controlling 
principle  of  the  Junto  was  that  of  self-interest;  its  rules  and  usages 
are  evidently  derived  from  Franklin's  recollections  of  Cotton  Mather's 
Benelit  Societies.  Cotton  Mather  had  greatly  intluenced  Franklin  in 
his  youth  and  had  originated  a  system  of  neighborhood  guilds,  or  ben- 
etit societies,  which  were  formed  in  the  several  Congregational  churches 
directly  under  Mather's  influence.  These  societies,  to  twenty  of  which 
Mather  himself  belonged,  were  organized  for  the  purpose  of  i^romoting 
the  general  interests  of  religion  in  Massachusetts  and  Mather  had 
drawn  up  "  certain  points  for  consideration" — that  is,  rules  or  orders  for 
the  management  and  to  indicate  the  scope  of  the  societies.  The  rules 
for  the  government  i)f  Mather's  societies  are  interesting  as  the -prece- 
dent for  the  rules  of  the  Philadelphia  Juuto. 

The  "Points  of  Consideration"  were  the  following: 

1.  Is  thoro  any  remarkable  disorder  iu  the  place  that  requires  our  endeavor  for 
the  suppressiou  of  it;  aud  in  what  fair,  likely  way  may  we  endeavor  it  ? 

2.  Is  there  any  particular  peryju  whose  disorderly  behavior  may  be  so  scandalous 
and  so  notorious  that  we  may  Cu  \\\A  to  send  unto  the  said  person  our  charitable 
adiuoiiitionsf  Or  are  there  any  contending  persons  whom  we  should  admonish,  to 
quench  their  contentions. 

3.  Is  there  any  special  service  to  the  interest  of  religion  which  we  may  conven- 
iently desire  our  minister  to  take  notice  of?  ' 

4.  Is  there  anytliiug  wo  may  do  well  to  mention  unto  the  justices  for  the  further 
promoting  g»tod  order! 

h.  Is  there  any  sort  of  officers  among  us  to  such  a  degree  unmindful  of  their 
•duty  that  we  may  do  well  to  mind  them  of  it? 

6.  Can  any  further  methods  be  devised,  that  ignorance  and  wickedness  may  be 
cha««'d  from  our  people  in  general,  and  that  household  piety  in  psirticular  raay 
fl<mrish  iunong  themf 

7.  Dotjs  there  appear  any  instance  of  oppression  or  fraudulence  in  the  dealings 
of  any  sort  of  people  that  may  call  for  our  essays  to  get  it  rectified? 

8.  Is  there  any  matter  to  be  humbly  moved  into  the  legislative  power  to  be  en- 
acted into  a  law  for  public  benetit? 

y.  Do  wo  know  of  any  person  languishing  under  sore  and  sad  affliction;  and  is 
there  anything  we  may  do  for  the  succor  of  snch  an  afflicted  neighbor? 

10.  Has  any  perstJU  any  proposal  to  make  for  our  own  further  advantage  and  assist- 
ance, that  we  ourselves  may  be  in  a  probable  ancU;egular  capacity  to  pursue  the  in- 
tention before  us?  m 

In  Mather's  Benefit  Societies  Franklin,  as  a  boy,  had  heard  discus- 
sions of  a  pra<;tical  character  bearing  upon  the  immediate  con(;erns  of 
lil'e  about  him,  and  the  impression  on  his  mind  was  permanent.    In- 


franklin's  self-education.  21 

atructed  by  tliis  boyish  experience,  in  1730  be  organized  the  Junto  with 
a  purpose  similar  to  that  of  the  societies — the  improvement  of  its  mem- 
bers and  their  fellow-citizens  in  virtue,  knowledge,  and  practical  wisdom. 
Franklin  did  not  seek  to  teach  religion,  but  to  encourage  the  acquisition 
of  useful  knowledge  in  morals,  politics,  and  natural  history.  The  mem- 
bership in  the  Junto  was  limited;  and  a  candidate  declared  his  love  for 
mankind  in  general,  his  belief  in  freedom  of  thought,  a  love  of  truth  for 
truth's  sake,  and  his  desire  to  obtain  knowledge  without  prejudice,  and, 
perhaps  of  chiefest  importance,  to  communicate  to  others  all  kinds  of 
useful  information  within  his  power. 

Tbe  Junto  met  on  Friday  evenings,  and  its  rules  illustrate  Franklin's 
theory  as  to  "  abrupt  contradiction  and  positive  argumentation,"  and 
tlie  "modest  difl&dence"  of  "a  humble  inquirer  and  doubter."  There- 
fore, instead  of  prescribing  dogmatic  rules,  or,  as  we  would  say,  adopt- 
ing a  constitution  and  by-laws,  the  Junto,  at  the  opening  of  its  meetings, 
read  twenty-four  queries  which,  it  will  be  noticed,  maybe  grouped  iinder 
the  three  headings  of  morals,  politics,  and  natural  philosophy.  These 
queries  were: 

Have  you  read  over  these  queries  this  inoraing  in  ordei*  to  consider  what  you  might 
have  to  offer  the  Junto  touching  any  one  of  them  ?     Viz : 

I.  Have  you  met  with  anything  in  the  author  you  last  read,  remarkable  or  suitable 
to  be  communicated  to  tlie  Junto,  particularly  in  history,  morality,  poetry,  physic, 
travels,  mechanic  arts,  or  other  parts  of  knowledge? 

•_*.  What  new  story  have  you  lately  heard  agreeable  for  telling  in  conversation! 
:>.  Hath  any  citizen,  in  your  knowledge,  failed  in  his  business  lately,  and  what 
have  you  heard  of  the  cause? 

4.  Have  you  lately  heard  of  any  citizens  thriving  well,  and  by  what  means f 

5.  Have  you  lately  heard  how  any  present  rich  man,  here  or  elsewhere,  got  his 
estate? 

6.  Do  you  know  of  a  fellow-citizen  who  lias  lately  done  a  worthy  action  deserving 
praise  and  imitation,  or  who  has  lately  committed  an  error  proper  for  us  to  be  warned 
against  and  avoid? 

7.  What  unhappy  effects  of  intemperance  have  you  lately  ol>ser\ed  or  heard,  of 
iuil»rudeuce,  <tf  passion,  or  of  any  other  vice  or  folly? 

s.  What  happy  effects  of  temperance,  of  prudence,  of  moderation,  or  any  other 
virtue? 

H.  Have  yon,  or  any  of  your  acquaintance,  been  lately  sick  or  wouudesd?  If  so, 
what  remedies  were  used,  and  what  were  their  effects? 

10.  Whom  do  you  know  that  are  shortly  going  on  voyages  or  journeys,  if  one 
8li«)iild  have  occasicm  to  send  by  them? 

I I.  Do  you  think  of  any  thing  at  present  in  which  the  Junto  may  be  serviceable 
ti>  mankind,  to  tlieir  country,  to  their  frien«l8,  or  to  themselves? 

12.  Hath  any  deserving  stranger  arrived  in  town  since  last  meeting,  that  you  have 
luanl  of?  And  what  have  you  heard  or  observed  of  his  character  or  merits?  And 
wlu'ther,  think  you,  it  lies  in  the  power  of  the  Junto  to  oblige  him,  or  encourage 
liiin  as  he  deserves? 

i:i.  Do  you  know  of  any  yonng  beginner  lately  set  np,  whom  it  lies  in  the  power 
of  the  Jtmto  any  way  to  enconragPi? 

14.  Have  you  Lately  obsers'ed  any  defect  in  the  laws  of  your  country,  of  which  it 
would  be  proper  to  move  the  legislature  for  an  amendment?  Or  do  you  know  of 
any  beueficial  law  that  is  wantiug? 


22  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

15.  Have  yoii  lately  observed  any  encroachment  on  the  just  liberties  of  the  people! 

16.  Hath  any  body  attacked  your  reputation  lately?  And  what  can  the  Junto  do 
towards  securing  it? 

17.  Is  there  any  man  whose  friendship  you  want,  and  which  the  Junto,  or  any  of 
them,  can  procure  for  you? 

18.  Have  you  lately  heard  any  member's  character  attacked,  and  how  have  you 
defended  it? 

19.  Hath  any  man  injured  you,  from  whom  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  Junto  to  pro- 
cure redress  ? 

20.  In  what  manner  can  the  Junto,  or  any  of  them,  assist  you  in  anj-  of  your  hon- 
orable designs  ? 

21.  Have  you  any  weighty  affair  on  hand  in  which  you  think  the  advice  of  the 
Junto  may  be  of  service? 

22.  What  benefits  have  you  lately  received  from  any  man  not  present? 

23.  Is  there  any  difficulty  in  matters  of  opinion,  of  justice  and  injustice,  which 
you  would  gladly  have  discussed  at  this  time? 

24.  Do  you  see  any  thing  amiss  in  the  present  customs  or  proceedings  of  the 
Junto  which  migjit  be  amended? 

This  practical  meaus  for  a  liberal  education  was  effected  by  Franklin 
when  he  was  but  21  years  of  age,  and  undoubtedly  the  advantages 
which  he  and  his  associates  obtained  from  their  discussions  in  the 
Junto  largely  contributed  to  Franklin's  success  in  life,  and  tended  to 
shape  all  his  ideas  in  education.  If  anyone  would  understand  Frank- 
lin's idea  of  a  school,  let  him  examine  the  history  of  the  Junto. 

The  times  were  productive  of  a  different  set  of  inquiries  or  questions 
for  debate  than  would  interest  a  modern  debating  society;  we  must 
not  forget  that  the  eighteenth  century  in  America  was  the  period  of 
the  determination  of  the  theory  of  republican  government,  and  the 
Junto  discussed  political  questions,  all  of  which  tended  to  the  defini- 
tion of  government.  The  political  thinkers  of  the  eighteenth  century 
gave  us  the  definition  of  our  theory  of  the  nature  of  government,  the 
nineteenth  century  is  working  out  the  theory  of  the  administration  of 
government.  The  political  discussions  in  the  Junto,  as  some  of  the 
subjects  are  recorded,  were :  '• 

Can  any  one  particular  form  of  government  suit  all  mankind  ?  How  may  the 
possession  of  the  Lakes  be  improved  to  our  advantage  ? 

Some  of  the  moral  questions  were : 

• 

Which  is  less  criminal,  a  bad  action  joined  with  a  good  intention,  or  a  good  action 
with  a  bad  intention? 

Should  it* be  the  aim  of  philosophy  to  eradicate  the  passions? 

Can  a  man  arrive  at  perfection  in  this  life? 

Which  is  best,  to  make  a  friend  of  a  wise  or  good  man  that  is  poor,  or  of  a  rich 
man  that  is  neither  wise  nor  good. 

Which  of  the  two  is  the  greatest  loss  to  the  country  if  they  both  die  f 

Of  questions  touching  on  natural  philosophy: 

Whence  comes  the  dew  that  stands  on  the  outside  of  a  tankard  that  has  cold  water 
in  it  in  the  sunmier  time? 
Why  does  the  flame  of  a  candle  tend  upward  in  a  spire t 


pkanklin's  self-education.  23 

And  of  questions  of  a  practical  turn,  one  suggestive  of  Franklin 
himself: 

Would  not  an  office  of  insurance  for  servants  be  of  service,  and  what  methods  are 
proi)er  for  orectin<f  such  an  office? 

This  is  of  interest  when  we  think  of  the  numerous  comj)anies  which 
now  insure  employers  against  loss  by  employes,  and  in  other  forms,  of 
the  insurance  of  domestic  service.  » 

The  Junto  was  limited  to  a  membership  of  twelve,  and  Franklin  in- 
sisted on  kindness  of  speech,  good  manners,  and  cheerfulness  in  debate, 
which  were  secured  by  common  agreement,  by  the  singing  of  songs,  and 
by  diversions  of  various  kinds.  The  influence  of  the  Junto  on  Ameri- 
can life  is  felt  to  this  day.  America  was  probably  the  first  country  in 
the  world  in  which  debating  societies  have  prospered  among  all  classes 
of  men,  and  they  have  tended  to  educate  the  American  people  in  all 
sorts  of  subjects  which  have  contributed,  as  Dean  Stanley  would  have 
said,  to  the  "education  of  after  life."  A  volume  might  be  written  on 
the  influence  of  debating  societies  in  the  education  of  Americans. 

I  do  not  understand  that  Franklin  would  make  a  school  a  debating 
society  merely,  but  an  examination  of  his  plan  for  six  classes  in  an 
English  school  shows  how  the  methods  and  ends  of  the  Junto  were 
ever  present  in  his  mind.  The  third  class  in  his  English  school  was 
"to  be  taught  speaking  properly  and  gracfully,  which  is  near  akin  to 
good  reading,  and  naturally  follows  it  in  the  studies  of  youth."  The 
scholars  were  to  "begin  with  learning  the  elements  of  rhetoric  from 
some  short  system,  so  as  to  be  able  to  give  an  account  of  the  most  use- 
ful tropes  and  figures." 

Let  all  their  bad  habits  of  speakiag,  all  offenses  against  good  grammar,  all  cor- 
rupt or  foreign  accents,  and  all  iniiiroper  phrases  be  pointed  out  to  them.  Short 
speeches  from  the  Roman,  or  other  history,  or  from  the  parliamentary  debates,  might 
be  got  by  heart,  and  delivered  Avith  the  proper  action,  etc.  Speeches  and  scenes 
ill  our  best  tragedies  and  comedies  (avoiding  everything  that  could  injure  the  morals 
of  youth)  might  likewise  be  got  by  rote,  and  the  boys  exercised  iii  delivering  or  act- 
ing them ;   great  care  being  taken  to  form  their  manner  after  the  truest  models. 

For  their  further  improvement,  and  a  little  to  vary  tlieir  studies  [he  says]  let 
them  now  begin  to  read  liistory,  after  having  got  by  heart  a  short  table  of  the  prin- 
cipal epochs  in  chronology.  They  may  begin  with  Rollin's  ancient  and  Roman  his- 
tories, and  proceed  at  proper  hours,  as  they  go  through  the  subsequnt  classes,  with 
the  best  histories  of  our  nation  and  colonies.  Let  emulation  be  excited  among  the 
the  boys  by  giving,  weekly,  little  prizes,  or  other  small  encouragements,  to  those  who 
are  able  to  give  the  best  account  of  what  they  have  read,  as  to  time,  places,  names 
of  persons,  etc.  This  will  make  them  read  with  attention,  and  imprint  the  history 
well  in  their  memories.  In  remarking  on  the  history  the  master  will  have  fine  op- 
portunities of  instilling  instruction  of  various  kinds,  and  improving  the  morals  as 
well  as  the  understandings  of  youth. 

All  this  in  the  spirit  of  the  Junto,  the  book,  the  moral  instruction, 
the  debate;  but  there  is  more  of  the  Junto  also: 

The  natural  and  mechanic  history  contained  in  the  "Spectacle  de  la  Nature" 
might  also  be  begun  in  this  class,  and  the  subject  should  be  continued  through  the 


24  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

subsequent  classes  by  other  books  of  the  same  kind ;  for,  next  to  the  knowledge  of 
duty,  this  kind  of  knowledge  is  certainly  the  most  useful  as  well  as  the  most  enter- 
taining. The  merchant  may  thereby  be  enabled  better  to  understand  many  commod- 
ities in  trade;  the  handicraftsman  to  improve  his  business  by  new  instruments, 
mixtures,  and  materials;  and  frequently  hints  are  given  for  new  manufactures,  or 
new  methods  of  improving  land,  that  may  be  set  on  foot  greatly  to  the  advantage 
of  a  country. 

It  is  not  strange  that  Franklin  should  pronounce  studies  in  natural 
history  "  the  most  useful  as  well  as  the  most  entertaining."  He  saw  in 
them  the  possibilities  of  almost  infinite  improvement  in  manufactures 
and  agriculture.  His  views  of  the  value  to  manufactures  of  studies  in 
natural  liistory  is  remarkable,  for  at  the  time  in  which  he  wrote  there 
were  no  manufactures  in  America,  and  his  broad  generalization  of 
the  value  of  mechanics  and  natural  history  anticipates  our  present 
manufacturing  age. 

Throughout  his  life  Franklin  was  a  scientific  man,  but  he  seems  to 
liave  made  all  his  experiments  in  science  for  utilitarian  purposes.  He 
seeuis  never  to  have  pursued  scientific  investigations  merely  for  specu- 
lation. The  whole  cast  of  his  mind  was  of  a  practical  kind,  and  he  ad- 
vocated the  stttdyof  "natural  and  mechanic  history"  in  school  because 
sucli  studies  would  give  hints  "  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  coun- 
try." The  wisdom  of  Franklin's  plan  for  including  natural  liistory  in 
its  broadest  meaning  in  the  course  of  study  is  significantly  recognized 
in  the  foundation,  endowment,  increase,  and  practical  value  of  the  nu- 
merous technical  schools  in  the  country  at  the  present  time.  He  an- 
ticipated the  chief  educational  departure  of  modern  times. 

In  the  Junto  were  discussed  many  of  the  economic  questions  of  the 
day,  and  (me  debate  so  interested  Franklin  that  he  elaborated  the  sub- 
ject in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  The  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a  Paper  Cur- 
rency," a  pamphlet  of  great  importance  practically  at  the  time  and  in 
the  history  of  political  economy,  and  of  which  more  will  be  said. 

The  organization  of  the  Junto  made  known  more  clearly  one  of  the 
wants  of  the  time,  a  library.  The  members  had  a  few  books  as  their 
personal  property,  but  there  were  not  enough  books  among  them  t<j 
meet  the  wants  of  the  society.  The  meetings  of  the  Junto  were  first 
held  in  a  tavern,  one  of  the  alehouses  cominon  in  Philadelphia  at  the 
time,  where  the  members  assembled  informally  and  brought  such 
books  as  illustrated  the  subjects  for  debate.  This  seems  to  have  sug- 
gested to  Franklin  the  organization  of  a  library  for  the  use  of  the  Junto 
in  debate.  His  suggestion  was  approved  and  a  small  room  in  Mr. 
Grace's  house  was  hired  for  the  use  of  the  Junto  and  for  the  storage  of 
its  books.  Some  of  the  members  complained  that  their  books  were 
misused,  and  therefore  took  them  home  and  deprived  the  Junto  of  the 
use  of  them. 

The  biographer  of  Franklin  reminds  us  that  books  in  1731  were  not 
like  books  of  our  day,  cheap,  abundant,  and  of  convenient  size;  the 
heavy  folios  of  that  time — and  some  of  the  original  books  of  the  Junto 


franklin's  self-education.  25 

may  now  be  seen  in  the  Pliiladelpliia  Library — were  not  adapted  for 
ease  of  reading-  in  traveling,  and  Franklin  conceived  of  ibunding  a 
permanent  library.  With  his  usual  sagacity  he  made  it  of  common 
interest.  A  subscription  was  undertaken  by  which  each  subscriber 
should  contribute  2  pounds  sterling  for  the  first  ]mrchase  of  books  and 
10  shillings  a  year  for  the  increase  of  the  library.  He  had  some  diffi- 
culty in  securing  a  sufficient  subscription.  Hiding  himself  under  the 
phrase  of  "a  number  of  friends,"  and  following  the  ruling  i)rinciple  of 
"humble  diffidence"  of  which  he  was  so  fond,  he  was  at  last  able  to 
see  the  affair  going  on  smoothly,  and  in  five  months  fifty  names  were 
obtained.  A  list  of  books  was  made  out  and  an  order  to  the  value  of 
45  pounds  was  sent  to  London. 

The  books  arrived  in  Philadelphia  in  October,  1732,  and  were  placed 
in  a  room  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Grace  Avhi(;h  was  set  apart  for  the  use  of 
the  Junto;  a  librarian  was  appointed,  and  the  books  were  given  out 
once  a  week.  Franklin  served  as  librarian  for  a  time.  The  undertaking 
was  a  success  and  we  are  told  of  donations  to  it  of  books,  money,  and 
curiosities.  It  grew  rapidly;  the  company  obtained  a  charter,  and 
increased  its  menibership  to  a  hundred,  and,  as  Franklin  says: 

This  was  the  mother  of  all  the  North  American  subscription  libraries,  now  so 
nmnerons.  It  is  become  .a  great  thing  in  itself,  and  coutinnally  goes  on  increasing; 
these  libraries  have  improved  the  general  conversation  of  the  Americans,  made  the 
common  tradesmen  and  farmers  as  intelligent  as  most  gentlemen  from  other  conn- 
tries,  and  perhaps  have  contributed  in  some  degree  to  tho  stand  so  generally  made 
thronghont  the  colonies  in  defense  of  their  privileges.' 

When  Franklin  describes  the  library  as  "a  great  thing  in  itself,"  he 
is  emphasizing  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  his  educational  system,  the  use 
of  the  right  book.  His  scheme  of  education  embodies  methodical  in- 
stSiuction  in  a  few  selected  books  which  embody  the  best  thoughts  ot 
the  best  minds,  which  should  be  conveyed  to  youth  in  the  best  man- 
ner; that  is,  in  a  natural  manner.  It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the 
influence  of  Franklin's  idea  on  America,  If  we  measure  it  by  the  in- 
fluence of  libraries  in  our  country,  we  might  safelj^  affirm  that  Amer- 
icans are  more  indebted  to  Benjamin  Franklin  for  their  education  than 
to  any  other  man  that  ever  lived.  The  large  possibilities  of  Franklin's 
principles  of  education  are  to  be  valued  by  their  adaptability  to  the 
ever-growing  wants  of  the  people.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
principle  of  the  circulating  library  and  the  first  principle  of  Franklin's 
scheme  of  education  grew  up  in  his  mind  from  his  own  experience  in 
self-education;  in  the  reading  of  books  when  a  child,  in  learning  to 
write  English  correctly  in  the  organization  of  tlie  Junto,  in  its  debates 
on  morals,  politics,  and  natural  i»hilosophy,and  in  the  necessary  equip- 
ment for  its  debates — a  library. 

Franklin's  practical  mind  seems  to  have  viewed  morality  as  it  viewed 
politics  and  natural  philosophy,  that  by  thinking,  by  experiment,  by 
observation,  and  by  practice,  a  man  might  arrive  at  moral  perfection. 

j 


26  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

It  would  be  a  gross  iiejxlet't  of  Franklin's  philosophy  of  education  were 
we  to  omit  some  account  of  his  "Art  of  Virtue."  We  must  not  forget 
that  Franklin  was  born  in  Kew  England;  that  Ms  father  and  mother 
were  members  of  the  Old  South  church,  and  that  he  liimself  was  bap- 
tized there;  that  his  earliest  impressions  were  religious  impressions; 
that  his  New  England  home  Avas  the  home  of  an  earnest  and  somewhat 
polemic  Calvinism,  with  its  rigid  simplicity.  The  insistence  of  iiis  j)arents 
upon  a  wholesome  industry  and  practical  morality,  and  a  stern  recogni- 
tion of  the  "chief  end  of  man,"  made  an  impression  upon  Franklin's 
character  that  never  was  effaced.    He  says : 

I  had  been  religiously  educated  as  a  Presbyteriau;  but,  though  some  of  the  dog- 
mas of  that  jjersuasion,  such  as  the  eternal  decrees  of  God,  election,  reprobation,  etc., 
appeared  to  me  unintelligible,  and  I  early  absented  myself  from  the  assemblies  of  the 
sect  (Sunday  being  my  studying  day),  I  never  was  without  some  religious  principles. 
1  never  doubted,  for  instance,  the  existence  of  a  Deity,  that  He  made  the  world,  and 
governed  it  by  His  providence ;  that  the  most  acceptable  service  of  God  was  the  doing 
good  to  man ;  that  our  souls  are  immortal ;  and  that  all  crimes  will  be  punished,  and 
virtue  rewarded,  either  here  or  hereafter.'  These  I  esteemed  the  essentials  of  every 
religion,  and  being  to  be  found  in  all  the  religions  we  had  in  our  country,  I  respected 
them  all,  though  with  different  degrees  of  respect,  as  I  found  them  more  or  less 
mixed  with  other  articles,  which,  without  any  tendency  to  inspire,  promote,  or  con- 
firm morality,  served  principally  to  divide  us,  and  make  us  unfriendly  to  one  another. 

He  therefore  seldom  attended  public  worship,  though  he  had  "  an 
opinion  of  its  propriety,  and  of  its  utility  when  rightly  conducted," 
and  he  regularly  paid  his  annual  subscription  for  the  support  of  the 
only  Presbyterian  meetingin  Philadelphia.  Viewing  religion  as  "  proper 
and  useful,"  he  conceived  of  it,  as  lie  conceived  of  politics  and  natural 
philosophy,  that  it  should  be  the  subject  of  investigati<m,  improvement, 
and  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  man.  He  could  not  think  of  religion 
as  being  incapable  of  improvement,  and  as  he  identified  religion  and 
morality,  he  says : 

It  was  about  this  time  I  conceived  the  bold  and  arduous  ])roject  of  arriving  at 
moral  perfection;  I  wished  to  live  without  committing  any  fault  at  any  time,  and 
to  conquer  all  that  cither  natural  inclination,  custom,  or  comi)any  might  lead  mo 
into.  As  I  knew,  or  thought  I  knew,  what  was  right  and  wrong,  I  do  not  see  why 
I  might  not  always  do  the  one  and  avoid  the  other.  But  I  soon  found  that  I  had  un 
dertaken  a  task  of  more  difficulty  than  I  had  imagined;  wliilo  my  attention  was 
taken  up  and  care  employed  in  gimrding  ag:iinst  one  fault,  I  was  often  surprised  ])y 
another;  habit  took  the  advantage  of  inattention;,  inclination  Avas  sometimes  too 
strong  for  reason.  I  concluded  at  length  that  the  mere  speculative  conviction  that 
it  was  our  interest  to  bo  completely  virtuous  was  not  sufficient  to  prevent  our  slip- 
ping, and  tliat  the  contrary  habits  must  be  broken  and  good  ones  acquired  and  es- 
tablished before  we  can  have  any  dependence  on  a  steady,  uniform  rectitude  of  mind. 

In  other  words,  Franklin  proposed  to  educate  hiinself  in  morality  as 
he  had  educated  himself  in  English  composition  and  in  arithmetic.     He 


'See  the  clause  on  a  belief  in  a  future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments  in  the 
Constitution  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  of  1776,  and  of  1790,  which  Franklin  was 
concerned  in  making.  It  is  in  the  present  State  Constitution  of  1873.  Art.  i,  9  4. 
The  Constitution  of  1776  and  of  1790  are  in  "The  Proceed  in  <xs  Relative  to  Calling 
the  Conventions  of  1776  and  1790," etc.     Harrisburg,  1825,  p.  54,  p.  129,  etseq.,  p.  296. 


^ranklin's  self-education. 


27 


therefore  contrived  a  method  of  selfeducatiou  iii  morals.  He  drew  up 
a  catalogue  of  the  virtues,  and,  for  sake  of  clearness,  used  "rather  more 
names,  with  fewer  ideas  annexed  to  each,  than  a  few  names  with  more 
ideas."  These  virtues  were  thirteen  in  number:  Temperance,  silence, 
order,  resolution,  frugality,  industry,  sincerity,  justice,  moderation, 
cleanliness,  tranquility,  chastity,  humility.  The  moral  world  to  him 
was  a  region  for  experiment,  and  he  was  the  moral  world.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  experiment  with  himself  as  he  would  experiment  in  electric- 
ity. Perhaps  the  originality  and  practical  tendency  of  his  mind  was 
never  better  displayed  than  in  his  scheme  for  perfection  in  the  "art  of 
virtue."    He  says:  ' 

I  made  a  little  Look,  in  which  I  allotted  a  page  for  each  of  the  virtues.  I  ruled 
each  page  with  red  iuk  so  as  to  have  seven  columns,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week, 
marking  each  column  with  a  letter  for  the  day.  I  crossed  these  columns  with 
thirteen  red  lines,  marking  the  heglnning  of  each  line  with  the  first  letter  of  one  of 
the  virtues,  on  which  line,  and  in  its  proper  column,  I  might  mark  by  a  little  black 
spot  every  fault  I  found  upon  examination  to  have  been  committed  respecting  virtue 
upon  that  day. 

Forvi  of  the  pages. 


TEMPEKANCK. 

Eat  not  to  dullness ; 
•  Drink  not  to  elevation. 

S.     j    M. 

T. 

W. 

T. 

F. 

S. 

T. 

s. 

* 

* 

* 

* 

0. 

*it 

* 

' 

*■ 

* 

* 

R. 

* 

F. 

* 

* 

* 

I. 

* 

S. 

J. 

M. 

" 

C. 

T. 

C. 

H. 

'iS  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

This  little  book  is  dated  July  1, 1733,  when  Franklin  was  a  little  past 
27  years  of  age,  and  from  the  form  of  the  pages,  whicli  is  given,  we  can 
read  Franklin's  progress  in  the  "art  of  virtue"  for  one  week.  His 
scheme  provided  for  a  complete  course  in  thirteen  weeks,  and  four 
courses  in  a  year,  and  taking  a  lesson  from  the  gardener,  mIio  does  not 
attempt  "to  eradicate  all  the  bad  herbs  at  once  (which  would  exceed 
his  reach  and  strength),  but  works  on  one  of  the  beds  at  a  time,  and, 
haWng  ac(H)mplished  the  first,  proceeds  to  a  second,"  so  Franklin  liad 
hope  that  "by  clearing  successively  my  lines  of  their  spots  till  in  the 
end,  by  a  number  of  courses,  I  should  be  happy  in  viewing  a  clean 
book  after  a  thirteen  week's  daily  examination." 

This  self  education  in  virtue  is  od  the  same  ])rinciple  as  Mather's 
"Societies"  and  Franklin's  "Junto,"  for  self-improvement.  Being  a 
practical  man,  Franklin  strengthened  his  little  book  with  maxims  and 
quotations — one  from  Addison's  "  Cato,"  which  he  had  doubtless  h'arned 
years  before  in  the  "Si)ectator;"  another  from  "Cicero,"  and  a  third 
from  the  "Proverbs  of  Solomon:" 

I^ength  of  days  is  in  her  right  hand,  and  in  lier  left  hand  riches  and  honor.  Her 
ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace. 

But  not  satisfied  with  mere  quotation,  he  prefixed  to  his  tables  of 
examination  for  daily  use,  a  little  i)rayer  of  his  own  composition,  of 
itself  a  lesson  in  self-improvement  in  the  "art  of  virtue": 

0  powerful  Goodness !  bountiful  Father!  merciful  Guide!  Increase  me  in  that  wis- 
dom which  discovers  my  truest  interest.  Strengthen  my  resolutions  to  perform  Avhat 
that  wisdom  dictates.  Accept  my  kind  offices  to  thj-  other  children  as  the  only  re- 
turn in  my  power  for  thy  continual  favors  to  me. 

His  "Art  of  Virtue"  was  the  art  of  promoting  the  general  .welfare  by 
self  improvement  and  self-education  in  morals.  Franklin  was  a  busy 
man  and  he  found  it  troublesQuie  to  keep  an  ordinary  book  which  must 
be  renewed  from  time  to  time,  and  which,  "by  scraping  out  the  marks 
on  the  paper  of  old  faults  to  make  room  for  new  ones  in  a  new  course, 
became  fall  of  holes,"  he  says : 

1  transferred  my  tables  and  precepts  to  the  ivory  leaves  of  a  memorandnm  book, 
on  which  the  lines  were  drawn  with  red  ink,  that  made  a  duralde  stain,  and  on 
those  lines  I  marked  my  faults  with  a  black  lead  pencil,  wliich  marks  I  could  easily 
wipe  out  with  a  wet  sponge.  After  a  while  I  went  tlirougli  one  course  only  in  a 
year,  and  afterwanls  only  one  in  several  years,  till  atlengtli  I  omitted  them  entirely, 
being  employed  in  voyages  and  business  abroad,  with  a  multiplicity  of  affairs  that 
interfered;  but  I  always  carried  my  little  book  Avith  me. 

Whenever  we  read  in  Franklin  any  reference  to  virtue,  and  he  is 
constantly  referring  to  the  virtues,  we  must  have  in  mind  his  "Art  of 
Virtue",  and  his  scheme  for  self-improvement  in  morality,  for  I  suppose 
he  thought  it  illogical  for  any  individual  to  require  a  child  to  form 
habits  of  self-education  in  politics  and  natural  history  and  not  in  mo 
rality.  His  scheme  of  education  was  after  all  the  practical  application 
of  Socrates' famous  maxim :  "Know  tliyself."  Perhaps  the  time  may 
come  when  Franklin's  method  of  self-education  in  morality  shall  be  the 
prevailing  one  in  society,  but  it  is  hindered  at  present  by  the  more 


franklin's  self-education.  29 

popular  vicarious  metliod  of  moral  improvement.  If  every  man  would 
make  self  education  in  morals  a  matter  of  business,  we  might  be  able  to 
trace  an  influence  of  Franklin's  ''Art  of  Virtue"  in  our  country  as 
great  as  his  influence  in  founding  public  libraries.  Again  and  again 
tluongh  his  life  Franklin  mentions  his  intention  of  writing  and  pub 
lishlng  "a  great  and  extensive  project  that  required  the  whole  man  to 
execute,"  and  this  was  a  treatise  on  the  "Art  of  Virtue." 

It  was  in  the  consideration  of  this  "  great  and  extensive  project," 
whose  treatment  he  could  not  find  in  the  books  of  the  World,  that  he 
made  some  observations  on  one  of  his  readings  in  the  library.  May  19, 
1731: 

That  the  great  affairs  of  the  world,  the  wars,  revolutions,  etc.,  are  curried  on  and 
affected  by  parties. 

That  the  view  of  these  parties  is  their  present  general  interest,  or  what  they  take 
to  be  such. 

That  the  different  views  of  these  different  parties  occasion  all  confusion. 

That  while  a  i» arty  is  carrying  on  a  general  design,  each  man  has  his  particular 
private  interest  in  view. 

That  as  soon  as  a  party  has  gain'd  its  geueral  point  each  member  becomes  intent 
upon  his  particular  interest,  whicli,  thwarting  others,  breaks  that  party  into  divis- 
ions, and  occasions  much  confusion. 

That  few  in  i>ublic  affairs  act  from  a  mere  view  of  the  good  of  their  country,  what- 
ever they  may  pretend;  and,  tho'  their  actings  bring  real  good  to  their  country,  yet 
men  primarily  considered  that  their  own  and  their  country's  interest  was  united, 
and  did  not  act  from  a  principle  of  benevolence. 

That  fewer  still,  in  public  alfairs,  act  with  a  view  to  the  good  of  maukind. 

There  seems  to  me  at  present  to  be  great  occasion  for  raising  a  United  Party  for  Vir- 
t  lie,  by  forming  the  virtuous  and  good  men  of  all  nations  into  a  regular  body,  to  be 
govern'd  by  suitable  good  and  wise  rules,  which  good  and  wise  men  may  probably 
be  more  unanimous  in  their  obedience  to,  than  common  people  are  to  comuu)U  laws. 

I  at  present  think  that  whoever  attempts  tliis  aright,  aud  is  well  qualified,  can 
not  fail  of  pleasing  God,  and  of  meeting  with  success. 

If  I  understand  these  observations  correctly,  they  signify  that  Frank- 
lin conceived  of  a  moral  order,  and  proceeding  on  that  i)rincii)le  he 
made  scientific  deductions,  which  were  that  the  moral  order  would  ob- 
tain if  men  understood  the  principles  of  the  moral  world,  and  therefore, 
he  would  encourage  all  men  to  make  self  improvement  the  basis  for 
such  moral  investigation  and  from  the  mass  of  these  moral  experiments 
deduce  the  ruling  principles  of  the  moral  world. 

In  this  mental  process  which  is  illustrated  in  Franklin  again  and 
again  we  see  the  man  of  science. 

When  in  1757  Franklin  had  engaged  passage  to  England  in  a  New 
York  packet  ship,  had  embarketl  stores  for  himself  and  his  sou,  and 
was  waiting  the  tedious  orders  of  Lord  Louden,  who  delayed  the  sail- 
ing of  the  fleet  more  ,than  three  months,  he  had  occasion  to  practice 
his  "  art  of  virtue  "  and  illustrate  all  his  capacity  for  patience  and  hap- 
piness.   It  was  upon  this  voyage  that  he  remarked : 

How  imperfect  is  the  art  of  ship  building,  that  it  can  never  be  known  till  she  is 
I  lied  whether  a  new  ship  will  or  will  not  be  a  good  sailer,  for  that  the  model  of  a 
good  sailing  shij)  has  been  exactly  followed  in  a  new  one,  which  has  proved  on  the 


30  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

contrary,  remarkably  dull.  I  apprehend  that  this  may  partly  be  occasioned  by  the 
different  opinions  of  seamen  respecting  the  modes  of  lading,  rigging,  and  sailing  of  a 
ship;  each  has  its  system,  and  the  same  vessel,  laden  by  the  judgment  and  orders  of 
one  captain,  shall  sail  better  or  worse  than  when  by  the  orders  of  another.  Besides, 
it  scarce  ever  happens  that  a  ship  is  formed,  fitted  for  the  sea,  and  sailed  by  the  same 
person.  •  *  *  Yet  I  think  a  set  of  experiments  might  be  instituted,  first,  to  de- 
termine the  most  proper  form  of  the  hull  for  swift  sailing ;  next,  the  best  dimensions 
and  properest  place  for  the  masts ;  then  the  form  and  quantity  of  sails,  and  their 
position,  as  the  wind  may  be ;  and,  lastly,  the  disjiosition  of  the  lading.  This  is  an 
age  of  experiments,  and  I  think  a  set  accurately  made  and  combined  would  be  of 
great  use.  I  am  persuaded,  therefore,  that  ere  long  some  ingenious  philosopher  will 
undertake  it,  to  whom  I  wish  success. 

His  observations  on  the  sailing  of  ships  ilhistrate  his  ideas  in  edu- 
cation :  by  frequent  experiment  rules  for  the  conduct  of  life  should  be 
deduced  and  the  dominant  idea  in  all  experimentation  should  be 
utility. 

The  idea  of  experimentation  and  the  deduction  of  principles  from  it 
is  the  chief  idea  in  Franklin's  philosophy  of  education;  he  would 
have  natural  and  mechanic  history  taught  because  deductions  might 
be  made  from  such  instruction  .that  would  improve  agTiculture  and 
mechanics. 

He  would  have  composition  taught  to  the  fourth  class  in  his  English 
school  because — 

Writing  one's  own  language  well  is  the  next  necessary  accomplishment  after  good 
speaking.  It  is  the  writing  master's  business  to  take  care  that  the  boys  make  fair 
characters,  and  place  them  straight  and  even  in  the  line ;  but  to  form  their  style  and 
even  to  take  care  that  the  stops  and  capitals  are  properlj'  disposed  is  the  part  of 
the  English  master.  The  boys  should  be  put  on  Avriting  letters  to  each  other  on  any 
common  occurrences,  an«l  on  various  subjects,  imaginary  business,  etc.,  containing 
little  stories,  accounts  of  their  late  reading,  what  parts  of  authors  please  them,  and 
why;  letters  of  congratulation,  of  compliment,  of  rec^uest,  of  thiiuks,  of  recom- 
mendation, of  admonition,  of  consolation,  of  expostulation,  excuse,  etc.  In  these 
they  should  be  taught  to  express  themselves  clearly,  concisely,  and  naturally,  with- 
out aftected  words  or  high-flown  phrases;  all  their  letters  to  pass  through  the  mas- 
ter's hand,  who  is  to  point  out  the  faults,  advise  the  corrections,  and  commend  what 
he  finds  right.  Some  of  the  best  letters  published  in  our  own  language,  as  Sir  Wil- 
liam Temj)le'8,  those  of  I'ope  and  his  friends,  and  some  others,  might  be  set  before 
the  youth  as  models,  their  beauties  point«!d  out  and  explained  by  the  master,  the 
letters  themselves  transcribed  by  the  scholar. 

Dr.  .Johnson's  Ethices  Elementa,  or  P'irst  Principles  of  Morality,  may  now  be  read 
by  the  scholars,  and  explained  by  the  master,  to  lay  a  solid  foundation  of  virtue  and 
piety  in  their  minds.  And  as  this  class  continues  the  reading  of  history,  let  them 
now,'  at  jiroper  hours,  receive  some  further  instruction  in  chronology,  and  in  that 
part  of  geography  (from  the  mathematical  mast»'r)  which  is  necessary  to  understand 
the  maps  and  globes.  They  should  also  be  acquainted  with  the  modem  names  of 
the  places  they  find  mentioned  in  ancient  writers.  The  exercises  of  good  reading 
and  proper  speaking  still  continued  at  suitable  times. 

His  fifth  clasrf  for  further  improvement  in  com*position.  were  to  con- 
tinue writing  letters,  and  in  addition  to  begin  writing — 

Little  eesays  in  prose,  and  sometimes  in  verse ;  not  to  make  them  poets,  but  for 
this  reason,  that  nothing  acquaints  a  hid  so  speedily  with  variety  of  exercises  as  the 
Qecessity  of  finding  snob  words  and  phras&s  as  will  fiuit  the  measure^  sound,  and 


franklin's  self-education.  31 

rhyme  of  verse,  and  at  the  same  time  will  express  the  sentiment.  Tliese  essays 
shoiikl  all  pass  under  the  master's  eye,  who  will  point  out  their  faults  and  put  the 
writer  on  correcting  them.  Where  the  judgment  is  not  ripe  enougli  for  forming  new 
essays,  let  the  sentiment  of  a  Spectator  be  given,  and  required  to  he  clothed  in  the 
scholar's  own  words  j  or  the  circumstances  of  some  good  story,  the  scholar  to  find 
expression.  Let  them  he  put  sometimes  on  abridging  a  paragraph  of  a  diffuse  author; 
sometimes  on  dilating  or  amplifying  what  is  wrote  more  closely.  And  now  let  Dr. 
Johnson's  Noetica,  or  First  Principles  of  Human  Knowledge,  containing  a  logic,  or 
art  of  reasoning,  etc.,  be  read  by  the  youth,  and  the  diflSculties  that  may  occur  to 
them  be  explained  by  the  master.  The  reading  of  history  and  the  exercise  of  good 
reading  and  just  speaking  still  continued. 

This  formula  is  the  epitome  of  Franklin's  own  experience;  he  had 
written  little  essays  in  prose  and  sometimes  in  verse  as  a  boy  and  had 
learned  the  art  from  his  uncle  who  was  a  prodigious  maker  of  verses. 

Franklin,  while  apprenticed  to  his  brother  in  Boston,  had  written 
some  doggerel  verses  and  some  street  ballads  which  sold  so  well  that 
he  was  persuaded  of  their  value,  but  his  passing  inclination  to  become 
a  poet  was  smothered  by  his  father's  sage  remark,  characteristic  of 
the  whole  Franklin  family,  that  "poets  were  usually  very  poor  people 
and  died  beggars."^ 

His  plan  for  clothing  the  sentiments  of  the  Spectator  in  the  scholar's 
own  words  was  based  entirely  on  his  own  boyish  acquaintance  with 
the  Spectator. 

In  his  16th  year  he  had  experienced  the  exquisite  i>leasure,  of  which 
he  spoke  more  than  half  a  century  later,  of  seeing  his  first  piece  in 
print  in  the  Boston  Courant,  and  though  it  was  not  signed  Benjamin 
Franklin,  it  was  his  own,  that  is,  as  mucli  his  own  as  a  paraphrase  of 
a  popular  author  could  be.  Under  the  signature  of  "  Silence Dogood," 
he  wrote  a  number  of  articles  in  which  he  criticises  colleges  and  gradu- 
ates of  colleges,  discusses  childhood,  marriage,  and  widowhood,  and  in 
the  language  of  "aflected  words  and  high-flown  phrases  delivered  him- 
self of  his  thought."  These  articles  in  the  old  Boston  Courant  were 
doubtless  in  Franklin's  mind  when  he  prescribed  the  kind  of  composi- 
tion useful  for  the  classes  in  the  English  school.  He  had  educated 
himself  in  that  way. 

His  scientific  mind  recognized  the  value  of  correct  deductions,  and 
therefore  logic  took  a  primary  place  in  his  system  of  education.  His 
first  class  should  be  taught  the  English  grammar  rules;  his  second 
class  should  construe  the  parts  of  speech  and  sentences,  and  recur  to 
the  rules  of  grammar;  his  third  class  should  learn  the  elements  of 
rhetoric,  and  his  fifth  class  should  study  the  art  of  reasoning  in  Dr. 
Johnson's  First  Principles  of  Human  Knowledge,  bccau§e  without 
practice  in  the  art  of  reasoning  correct  deductions  in  life  could  not  be 
made.  Franklin's  introduction  of  logic  into  the  studies  of  the  English 
sch  ool  was  due  not  only  to  the  tendency  of  his  own  mind,  but  also  to 
the   results  of  his  own  exi)erience.    At  15,  soon  after  awakening  to 

*  See  a  specimen  of  Franklin's  verses,  p.  118. 


3'2  THE    UMlVEliSITY    UF    PENNSYLVAJS'IA. 

his  ijinoiaiu'e  of  tij^urcs,  he  leufl  Jiocke's  Ilumaii  Uiiderstaudiug"  and 
the  Alt  of  Thinking,  by  Messrs.  du  Port  Royal,  whicli  evidently  greatly 
aided  him  in  the  orderly  examination  of  phenomena  and  in  making  cor- 
rect dednctiou.s  from  his  exi)eriments.  He  says  in  drawing  up  his  Art 
of  Virtue  that  he  found  himself '"incorrigible  with  respect  to  order." 
He  was  deficient  in  what  might  now  be  called  system,  and  one  of  the 
serious  criticisms  made  upon  him  while  minister  to  France  was  the  con- 
fusion of  the  affairs  in  his  office.  Self-study  had  revealed  to  him  this 
defect,  and  doubtless  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  introduction  of  logic 
and  rules  of  grammar  and  rhetoric  into  the  studies  of  childhood  was  to 
remedy  in  others  the  defect  f^cmi  which  he  had  suffered  himself. 

It  should  be  said  of  Franklin  that  his  scheme  for  self-education  in 
morality  was  the  source  of  his  own  regeneration,  and  after  the  formula- 
tion of  the  scheme  of  his  Art  of  Virtue  was  clearly  before  his  mind,  he 
was  probably  as  free  from  faults  as  any  man  of  his  times.  The  utility 
of  his  ideas  in  morals  was  proven  in  his  oAvn  life. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  he  prepared  for  his  own  use  his  "Articles  of 
Belief  and  Acts  of  Eeligion,"  a  creed,  a  prayer  book,  and  a  litany, 
which,  he  tells  us,  he  continued  to  use  for  twenty  years.  His  practice 
of  the  "  art  of  virtue,"  confirmed  his  opinion  that,  as  the  object  of  re- 
ligion was  to  promote  virtue,  religion  was  useful  to  mankind,  and  that 
the  various  religious  sects  of  his  times  contributed  on  the  whole  to  the 
happiness  and  virtue  of  their  members.  It  should  be  said  that  Frank- 
lin lived  during  one  of  the  great  religious  revivals  of  history  under  tbe 
preaching  of  Whitefield.  It  would  be  interesting  to  trace  the  influence 
of  the  revival  of  religion  under  Wesley  and  Whitefield  ui)on  the  educa- 
tion of  Americans.^ 

Whitefield  was  better  known  to  Franklin  than  to  any  other  Ameri- 
can. The  great  preacher  came  to  Philadelphia  in  1739  and  threw  the 
whol(>  city  into  a  fernu'nt.  He  wasasuidike  Franklin  as  Franklin  was 
unlike  Dr.  Johnson.  He  found  in  Franklin  a  true  friend,  a  genial  host, 
aid  a  publisher.  Philadelphia  was  tolerant  and  Whitefield  had  no 
difficulty  in  gathering  an  audience  without  the  interference  of  the  au- 
thorities. Tradition  tells  us  of  the  multitudes  who  thronged  to  hear 
the  great  ))»«^-achei\  Franklin  was  greatly  moved  by  his  preaching, 
but  not  perhjaded  to  adopt  the  preacher's  doctrines.  It  having  been 
found  inconvenient  to  assemble  in  the  open  air  the  crowds  who  came 
to  hear  Whitefield,  it  was  x>roposed  to  erect  a  building  100  feet  loitg 
and  70  broad,  which  should  be  for  the  accommodation  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  who  might  care  to  hear  any  preacher  on  any  subject. 

Whitefield  had  changed  the  manners  of  Philadelphia.  Franklin  re- 
cords how,  under  the  influence  of  Whitefield's  preaching,  "  from  being 
thoughtless  or  indifferent  about  religion,  it  seems  as  if  all  the  world 
were  growing  religious,  so  that  one  could  not  walk  through  the  town 

'  The  spread  of  Methodism  in  America,  and  tlio  founding  of  seminaries  and  col- 
leges by  that  denoniinutiou  piescut  a  pleasing  sul>.i<'<  t  foi-  historical  investigation. 


franklin's  self-education.  33 

in  the  evening  withojit  hearing  psahns  sung  in  different  families  in 
every  street."  The  eloquence  of  Whitetiehl  and  the  multitudinous  "de- 
mand of  the  ])eople  for  accommodations  to  hear  him  were  the  occasion 
for  the  building  of  a  suitable  meeting  house,  which  also  became  a  few 
years  later  the  first  building  used  by  the  Academy  of  Philadelphia, 
later  thejCollege  of  Philadelphia,  now  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Franklin's  love  of  natural  philosophy  prompted  him  to  use  White- 
fleld's  voice  a^  the  means  of  an  experiment  in  acoustics. 

He  preached  [says  FraukliuJ  oue  evening  from  the  top  of  the  court-house  steps, 
which  are  in  the  middle  of  Market  street,  and  on  the  west  side  of  Second  street,  which 
crosses  it  at  right  angles.  Both  streets  were  lilled  with  hearers  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance. Being  among  the  hindniostin  Market  street,  I  had  the  curiosity  to  learn  how 
far  he  could  be  heard,  by  retiring  backwards  down  the  street  towards  the  river ;  and  I 
found  his  voice  distinct  till  I  came  near  Front  street,  when  some  noise  in  that  street  ob- 
scured it.  Imagining,  then,  a  semicircle,  of  which  my  distance  would  be  the  radius, 
and  that  it  were  filled  with  auditors,  to  each  of  whom  I  allowed  2  square  feet.  I  com- 
puted that  he  might  well  be  heard  by  more  than  thirty  thoufaud.  This  reconciled  me 
to  the  newspaper  accounts  of  his  having  preached  to  25,000  people  in  the  fields,  and 
to  the  ancient  histories  of  generals  haranguing  whole  armies,  of  which  I  had  some- 
times doubted.' 

This  comment  on  Whitefield  admits  ns  into  a  closer  knowledge  of 
Franklin's  self-education.  In  his  provision  for  the  lessons  of  the 
second  class  in  the  English  schools  he  advises  lessons  made  up  of  a 
piece  of  a  sermon,  a  general's,  speech  to  his  soldiers,  and  in  the  won- 
derful voice  of  Whitefield  he  had  experimentally  proved  that  the  great 
speeches  made  by  generals  to  their  soldiers,  such  as  he  had  read  in 
Plutarch's  Lives, could  be  heard  by  the  soldiery.  I  suppose  that  White- 
field  was  the  more  interesting  to  Franklin  because  he  demonstrated 
that  the  speeches  of  Cyrus  might  have  been  heard  by  his  troops,  and 
so  illustrated  some  of  the  iiroperties  of  sound. 

For  the  sixth  class  Franklin  prescribed  a  continuation  of  the  preced- 
ing studies  in — 

History,  rhetoric,  logi^  moral  and  natural  philosophy;  the  best  English  authors, 
*  *  *  as  Tillotson,  Milton,  Locke,  Addison,  Pope,  .Swift;  the  higher  papers  in 
the  Spectator  and  Guardian ;  the  best  translations  of  Homer,  Virgil,  and  Horace,  of 
Telemachus;  Travels  of  Cyrus,  etc. 

The  hours  of  the  day  Averc  to  be  divided  and  disposed  in  such  a 
manner  that  some  classes  might  be  "  with  the  writing  inaster,  improv- 
ing their  hands;  others  with  the  mathematical  master,  learning  arith- 
metic, accounts,  geography,  use  of  the  globes,  drawing,  mechanics,  etc., 
while  the  rest  are  in  the  English  school  under  the  English  master's 
care.':  Here  is  the  substance  of  the  working  programme  familiar  in  its 
development  to  all  teachers  at  the  i)resent  time.  • 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Franklin  mentions  drawing  as  a  study  for  the 
sixth  class,  in  which  he  anticipates  one  of  the  most  important  elements 
of  modern  education,  and,  by  alternation  in. the  disposition  of  the 


'  It  is  said  that  some  words  uttered  by  Whitefield  were  distinctly  heard  by  people 
across  the  Delaware. 

1180 3 


34  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

studies,  he  anticipates  the  programme  of  our  manual  training  schools, 
wiiich  divide  the  school  day  between  literary  study  (language,  mathe- 
matics, history,  science,  etc.)  and  the  technical  industrial  studies  (free- 
hand, machine,  and  architectural  drawing,  woodworking,  smithing, 
etc.);  indeed,  Franklin's  scheme  for  the  education  of  youth  anticipates 
the  ideas  of  the  modern  supporters  of  manual  training. 

Throughout  his  plan  he  develops  a  system  of  incentives  to  excellence. 
In  his  provision  for  the  first  class  he  says  in  order  to  improve  their 
orthography : 

Perhaps  the  hitter  is  hest  done  by  pairing  the  scholars;  two  of  those  nearest  equal 
in  their  spelling  to  he  put  together.  Let  these  strive  for  victory;  each  propound- 
ing ten  woids  every  day  to  (he  other  to  be  spelled.  He  that  spells  truly  most  of 
the  other's  words  is  the  victor  for  that  day;  helhat  is  Aiotor 'most  days  of  the  month 
to  obtain  a  prize,  a  pretty,  neat  book  of  some  kind,  useful  in  their  future  studies. 

The  system  of  prizes  was  a  favorite  one  with  FrankHii,'  lie  thought 
that  it  "fixes  the  attention  of  the  children  "  and  he  continually  refers 
to  it  throughout  his  life.  In  dealing  with  men  he  acted  upon  the  \mn- 
ciple  of  incentives  to  action.  As  the  highest  encouragement  to  the 
classes  he  suggests  that — 

Once  a  year  let  there  be  public  exercises  in  the  hall,  the  trustees  and  citizens  pres- 
ent. Then  let  fine  gilt  books  be  given  as  jirizes  to  such  boys  as  distinguish  them- 
selves and  excel  the  others  in  any  branch  of  learning,  making  three  degrees  of  com- 
parison ;  giving  the  best  prize  to  him  that  performs  best,  a  less  valuable  one  to  him 
that  comes  up  next  to  the  best,  and  another  to  the  third;  commendations,  encour- 
agement, and  advice  to  the  rest  keeping  up  their  hopes  that  by  industry  they  may 
excel  another  time.  The  names  of  those  that  obtain  the  prize  to  be  yearly  printed 
in  a  list. 

The  intimate  knowledge  of  human  nature,  which  is  illustrated  in  this 
little  scheme  shows  how  much  Franklin  had  learned  from  the  printing 
business;  that "  fine  gilt  books"  are  more  popular  simply  because  of  their 
binding  and  style  rather  than  for  their  contents.  The  material  success 
of  subscription  publishing  houses  attests  the  accuracy  of  Franklin's 
discrimination.  He  would  appeal  to  tbe  eye  as  v^W  as  to  the  "under- 
standings of  youth."  His  division  of  the  prizes  into  three  classes  and 
the  publication  of  the  names  of  the  winners  suggests  that  in  educa- 
tional matters  Franklin  would  apply  the  fundamental  principles  at  the 
base  of  Adam  Smith's  Economics,  that  every  man  will  most  willingly 
jmrsue  his  own  substantial  interest. 

Franklin  had  learned  by  experience  the  power  of  incentive  in  study. 
Soon  after  his  projection  of  his  Art  of  Virtue  he  became  dissatisfied 
with  the  mere  reading  of  books  and  began  tlie  study  of  languages.  He 
had  long  been  fond  of  chess,  and  he  tells  us  how  he  combined  his  love 
of  language  and  love  of  chess  by  fixing  a  condition  of  the  game  that^ — 

Tho  victor  in  every  game  should  have  a  right  to  impose  a  task  either  in  parts  of 
the  grammar  to  be  got  by  heart,  or  in  translations,  etc.,  which  tasks  the  vanquished 
sliall  perform  upon  honor  before  our  next  meeting ;  as  we  played  i)ret.ty  equally,  we 
thus  beat  one  another  into  that  language. 

'He  incorporated  in  his  will  a  provisiou  for  prizes  in  the  public  schools  of  Bog- 
ton.     (See  infra,  p.  119.) 


franklin's  self-education.  35 

He  took  up  the  study  of  languages  as  he  had  taken  up  arithmetic 
and  English  composition,  he  taught  himself.  In  attempting  to  learn 
the  modern  languages  his  attention  was  called  again  to  tlie  Latin  tongue 
which  he  had  studied  in  an  elementary  way  in  his  childhood  for  one 
year  in  a  Latin  school.     He  says: 

But  when  I  had  attained  an  acquaintance  with  the  French,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  I 
was  surprised  to  find  on  looking  over  a  Latin  Testament,  that  I  understood  more  of 
that  hinguage  than  I  had  imagined;  which  encouraged  me  to  apply  myself  again  to 
the  study  of  it,  and  I  met  with  the  more  success,  as  those  preceding  languages  had 
greatly  smoothed  my  way.  From  these  circumstances,  I  have  thought  there  was 
some  inconsistency  in  our  common  mode  of  teaching  languages.  We  are  told  that  it 
is  proper  to  begin  first  with  Latin,  and  having  acquired  that,  it  will  be  more  easy  to 
attain  those  modern  languages  which  are  derived  from  it;  and  yet  we  do  not  begin 
with  the  Greek,  in  order  more  easily  to  acquire  the  Lsitiu.  It  is  true  that  if  we  can 
clamber  and  get  to  the  top  of  a  staircase  without  using  the  steps,  we  shall  more 
easily  gain  them  in  descending;  but  certainly  if  we  begin  with  the  lowest,  we  shall 
with  more  ease  ascend  to  the  top;  and  I  would  therefore  offer  it  to  the  consideration 
of  those  who  superintend  the  education  of  our  youth,  whether — since  many  of  those 
who  begin  with  the  Latin,  quit  the  same  after  spending  some  years  without  having 
made  any  great  proficiency,  and  what  they  have  learned  becomes  almost  useless,  so 
that  their  time  has  been  lost — it  would  not  have  been  better  to  have  begun  with  the 
French,  proceeding  to  the  Italian  and  Latin.  For,  though,  after  spending  the  same 
time  they  should  quit  the  study  of  languages  and  never  arrive  at  the  Latin,  the'y 
would  however,  have  ac^iuired  another  tongue  or  two  that  being  in  modern  use  might 
be  serviceable  to  them  in  common  life. 

This  observation  is  the  substance  of  all  discussions  on  teaching  modern 
languages  which  have  been  made  since  Franklin's  day.  He  arrived  at 
his  opinions  by  his  own  experience  and  he  incorporated  them  in  his 
Plan  for  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania,  repeatedly  referred 
to  them,  and  in  one  of  the  last  papers  of  his  life  defended  them.' 

In  his  proposals  Eelative  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania, 
written  in  1749,  Franklin  lias  something  to  say  of  the  study  of  languages 
not  exactly  conforming  with  his  ideas  concerning  the  study  of  modern 
languages.  He  had  arrived  at  his  conclusion  of  the  superior  advan- 
tages of  the  study  of  modern  languages,  even  to  the  exclusion  of  Greek 
and  Latin,  by  his  own  self  education  at  30  years  of  age  in  French, 
Italian,  and  Spanish.  His  Proposals  Eelative  to  the  Education  of 
Youth  in  Pennsylvania  were  written  sixteen  years  later,  and  the  de- 
parture froill  his  own  opinion  on  thestudy  of  languages  set  forth  in  the 
Proposals  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  necessary  compromise  which  Frank- 
lin had  to  make  in  order  to  get  the  Philadelphia  Academy  founded. 
There  will  be  occasion  to  refer  to  these  Proposals  more  particularly 
later  on. 

In  his  plan  fqran  English  school,  providing  for  six  classes,  to  which 
reference  has  frequently  been  made,  Franklin  concludes  as  follows: 

Thus  instructed,  youth  will  come  out  of  this  school  fitted  for  learning  any  busi- 
ness, calling,  or  profession,  except  such  wherein  languages  are  required ;  and,  though 


1  See  observations  Relative  to  the  Intention  of  the  original  founders  of  the  Academy 
in  Philadelphia,  June,  1789, 


36  THE    UNIVEKSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

unacquairited  with  any  ancient  or  foreign  tongue,  they  will  be  masters  of  their  own, 
which  is  of  more  immediate  and  general  use,  and  withal  will  have  attained  many 
other  valuable  accomplishments;  the  time  usually  spent  in  acciuiriug  those  languages, 
often  without  success,  being  here  employed  in  laying  such  a  foundation  ot  knowl- 
edge and  ability  as,  properly  improved,  may  qualify  them  to  pass  through  and  exe- 
cute the  several  offices  of  civil  life  with  advantage  and  reputation  to  themselves  and 
country. 

I  think  I  see  in  Franklin's  plan  for  an  English  school  his  idea  of  a 
universal  scheme  of  education  applicable  to  such  a  country  as  ours.  It 
should  not  be  inferred  that  Franklin  was  unfriendly  to  higher  educa- 
tion. He  knew  very  well  the  practical  importance  of  public  education, 
and  in  providing  for  the  general  iosti  uctioii  of  all  the  children  of  the  land 
he  would  introduce  those  subjects  and  methods  which  would  conduce 
to  the  largest  public  utility.  We  must  not  forget  that  in  Franklin's 
time  free  public  schools  were  not  thought  of,'  that  no  minister  of  state, 
no  legislature  had  formulated  a  scheme  of  general  education  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  state,  but  that  education  was  still  an  individual  matter,  and 
the  means  for  pursuing  it  existed  only  in  private  schools. 

SKETCH  OF  AN  ENGLISH  SCHOOL. 

[For  the  consideration  of  the  trustees  of  tlie  Philadelphia  Academy.] 

It  is  expected  that  every  scholar,  to  be  admitted  into  this  school,  be  at  least  able 
to  pronounce  and  divide  the  syllables  in  reading,  and  to  write  a  legible  hand.  None 
to  be  received  that  are  under years  of  age. 

FIRST  OR  LOWEST  CLASS. 

Let  the  first  class  learn  the  English  Grammar  Rules,  and  at  the  same  time  let  par- 
ticular care  be  taken  to  improve  them  in  orthography.  Perhaps  the  latter  is  best 
done  by  pairing  the  scholars,  two  of  those  nearest  equal  in  their  spelling  to  be  put 
together.  Let  these  strive  for  victory,  each  propounding  ten  words  every  day  to 
the  other  to  be  spelled.  He  that  spells  truly  most  of  the  other's  words  is  victor  for 
that  day;  he  that  is  victor  most  days  of  the  month  to  obtain  a  prize,  a  pretty,  neat 
book  of  some  kind,  useful  in  their  future  studies.  This  method  fixes  the  attention 
of  children  extremely  to  the  orthography  of  words,  and  makes  them  good  spellers 
very  early.  It  is  a  shame  for  a  man  to  be  so  ignorant  of  this  little  art  in  his  own 
language  as  to  be  perpetually  confounding  words  of  like  sound  and  difterent  signi- 
fications, the  consciousness  of  which  defect  makes  some  men,  otherwise  of  good 
learning  and  underst^ding,  averse  to  writing  even  a  common  letter. 

Let  the  pieces  read  by  the  scholars  in  this  class  be  short,  such  as  Croxall's  Fables,  and 
little  stories.  In  giving  the  lesson  let  it  be  read  to  them ;  let  the  meaning  of  the 
difficult  words  in  it  be  explained  to  them,  and  let  theiri  con  over  by  themselves  be- 
fore they  are  called  to  read  to  the  master  or  usher,  who  is  to  take  particular  care  that 
they  do  not  read  too  fast,  and  that  they  duly  observe  the  stops  and  pauses.  A  vo- 
cabulary of  the  most  usual  difficult  words  might  be  formed  for  their  use  with  expla- 
nations, and  they  might  daily  get  a  few  of  those  words  and  explanations  by  heart, 
which  would  a  little  exercise  their  memories,  or  at  least  thej'  mignt  write  a  number 
of  them  in  a  small  book  for  the  purpose,  which  would  help  to  fix  the  meaning  of 
those  words  in  their  minds  and  at  the  same  time  furnish  every  one  with  a  little 
dictionary  for  his  future  use. 


'An  important  and,  in  its  influence,  a  far-reaching  exception  is  to  be  made  for  New 
England.  See  account  of  John  Adams's  plan  for  public  education  and  the  constitu- 
tion of  Massachusetts,  1780,  iu/ra,  p.  173. 


PEANKLIN*S   SELF-EDUCATION.  37 

THE  SECOND  GLASS. 

To  he  taught  reading  with  attention,  and  with  proper  iiiodiilatious  of  the  voice, 
according  to  the  sentiment  and  the  subject. 

Some  short  pieces,  not  exceeding  the  length  of  a  Spectator,  to  be  given  this  claw 
fo.-  lessons  (iiud  some  of  the  easier  Spectators  would  be  very  suitable  for  the  jmr- 
pose).  These  lessons  might  be  given  every  night  as  tasks,  the  scholars  to  study 
them  against  the  morning.  Let  it  then  be  required  of  them  to  give  au  acc(»unt,  first, 
of  the  parts  of  sjieech  and  construction  of  one  or  two  sentences.  This  will  oblige 
them  to  recur  frequently  to  their  grannuar  and  lix  its  priucijtal  rules  in  their  mem- 
ory. Next,  of  the  intention  of  the  writer,  or  the  scope  of  the  piece,  the  meauiug  of 
each  sentence,  and  of  every  uncommon  word.  This  would  early  acquaint  them  with 
the  meaning  and  force  of  words,  and  give  them  that  most  necessary  habit  of  reading 
with  attention. 

The  master  then  to  read  the  jwece  with  the  proper  modulations  of  voice,  due  em- 
phasis, and  suitable  action,  where  action  is  required,  and  put  the  youth  on  imitating 
his  manner. 

Where  the  author  has  used  an  expression  not  the  best,  let  it  be  pointed  out,  and 
let  his  beauties  be  particularly  remarked  to  the  youth. 

Let  the  lessons  for  reading  be  varied,  that  the  youth  may  be  made  acquainted  with 
good  style  of  all  kinds,  in  prose  and  verse,  and  the  proper  manner  of  reading  each  kind ; 
sometimes  a  well-told  story,  a  piece  of  a  sermon,  a  general's  speech  to  his  soldiers, 
a  speech  in  a  tragedy,  some  part  of  a  comedy,  an  ode,  a  satire,  a  letter,  blank  verso, 
Hudibrastic,  heroic,  etc.  But  let  such  lessons  be  chosen  for  reading  as  contain  some 
useful  instruction,  whereby  the  understanding  or  murals  of  the  youth  may  at  the 
same  time  be  improved. 

•It  is  required  that  they  should  first  study  and  understand  the  lessons  before  they 
are  put  upon  reading  them  properly,  to  which  end  each  boy  should  have  an  English 
dictionary  to  help  him  over  ditiiculties.  When  our  boys  read  English  to  us  we  are 
apt  to  imagine  they  understand  whiit  they  read,  because  we  do,  and  because  it  is 
their  mother  tongue;  but  they  often  read  as  parrots  speak,  knowing  little  or  nothing 
of  the  meaning;  and  it  is  im]iossible  a  reader  should  give  the  due  modulation  to  his 
voice,  and  pronounce  properly,  unless  his  understanding  goes  before  his  tongue  and 
makes  him  master  of  the  sentiment.  Accustoming  boys  to  re.ad  aloud  what  they  do 
not  first  understand  is  the  cause  of  those  even,  set  tones  so  common  among  readers, 
which,  when  they  have  once  got  a  habit  of  using,  they  fiud  so  difficult  to  correct; 
by  which  means  among  fifty  readers  we  scarcely  find  a  good  one.  For  want  of 
good  reading  pieces  published  with  a  view  to  influence  the  minds  of  men,  for  their 
own  or  the  public  benefit,  lose  half  their  force.  Were  there  but  one  good  reader  in 
a  neighborhood  a  public  orator  might  be  heard  throughout  a  nation  with  the  same 
advantages  and  have  the  same  effect  upon  his  audieucc  as  if  they  stood  within  the 
reach  of  his  voice. 

THE  THIRD  CLA8.S. 

To  be  taught  speaking  properly  and  gracefully,  which  is  near  akin  to  good  read- 
ing, and  yaturally  follows  it  in  the  studies  of  youth.  Let  the  scholars  of  this  chiss 
begin  with  learning  the  elements  of  rhetoric  from  some  short  system,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  give  an  account  of  the  most  useful  tropes  and  figures.  Let  all  their  bad  habits  of 
speaking,  all  offenses  .against  good  grammar,  all  corrupt  or  foreign  accents,  and  all 
improper  phrases  be  pointed  out  to  them.  Short  speeches  from  the  Koman  or  other 
history,  or  from  the  parliamentary  debates,  might  be  got  by  heart,  and  delivered 
with  the  proper  action,  etc.  Speeches  and  scenes  in  our  best  tragedies  and  comedies 
(avoiding  everything  that  could  injure  the  morals  of  youth)  might  likewise  b«  got 
by  rote,  and  the  boys  exercised  in  delivering  or  acting  them,  great  care  being  taken 
to  form  their  manner  after  the  truest  models. 


38  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

For  their  further  impi'oveiueut,  and  a  little  to  vary  their  studies,  let  them  now 
begiu  to  rrad  history,  after  having  got  by  heart  a  short  table  of  the  principal  epochs 
in  chronology.  They  may  begin  with  Kollin's  Ancient  and  Kouiau  histories,  and 
proceed  at  proper  hours,  as  they  go  through  the  snbsoquoiit  classes,  with  the  best 
histories  of  our  own  nation  and  colonies.  Let  emulation  be  excited  among  the  boys 
by  giving,  Weekly,  little  prizes,  or  other  small  encouragements,  to  those  who  are 
able  to  give  the  best  account  of  what  they  have  read  as  to  time^  places,  names  of 
persons,  etc.  This  will  make  them  read  with  attention,  and  imprint  the  history 
well  in  their  memories.  In  remarking  on  tbe  history,  the  master  will  have  tine 
opportunities  of  instilling  instruction  of  various  kinds  and  improving  the  morals  as 
Well  as  the  understandings  of  youth. 

The  natural  and  mechanic  history  contained  in  the  Spectacle  de  la  Nature  niiglit 
also  be  begun  in  this  class,  and  continued  through  the  subsequent  classes,  by  other 
books  of  the  same  kind ;  for  next  to  the  knowledge  of  duty,  this  kind  of  knowledge 
is  certainly  the  most  useful  as  well  as  the  most  entertaining.  The  merchant  may 
thereby  be  enabled  better  to  understand  many  commodities  in  trade;  the  handi- 
craftsman to  improve  his  business  by  new  instruments,  mixtures,  and  materials; 
and  frequently  hints  are  given  for  new  manufactures,  or  neAv  methods  of  improving 
land,  that  may  be  set  on  foot  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  a  country. 

THE   FOURTH   CLASS. 

To  be  taught  composition.  Writing  one's  own  language  well  is  the  next  necessary 
accomplishment  after  good  speaking.  It  is  the  writing  master's  business  to  take 
care  that  the  boys  make  fair  characters  and  place  them  straight  and  even  in  the 
line;  but  to  form  their  style,  and  even  to  take  care  that  the  stops  and  capitals  are 
properly  disposed,  is  the  part  of  the  English  master.  The  l)oys  should  be  put  on 
writing  letters  to  each  other  on  any  common  occurrences,  and  on  various  subjects, 
imaginary  business,  etc.,  containing  little  stoiics,  accounts  of  tlieir  late  reading, 
what  parts  of  authors  please  them,  and  why ;  letters  of  congratulation,  of  compli- 
ment, of  request,  of  thanks,  of  recommendation,  of  admonition,  of  consolation,  of 
expostulation,  excuse,  etc.  In  these  they  shotfld  be  taught  to  express  themselves 
clearly,  concisely,  and  naturally,  without  affected  words  or  high-flown  phrases;  all 
their  letters  to  pass  through  the  master's  hand,  who  is  to  point  out  the  faults,  advise 
the  corrections,  and  conimend  what  he  tinds  right.  Some  of  the  best  letters  pub- 
lished in  our  own  language,  as  Sir  William  Temple's,  those  of  Pope  and  his  friends, 
and  some  others  might  be  set  before  the  youth  as  models,  their  beauties  iiointed  out 
and  explained  by  the  master,  the  letters  themselves  transcribed  by  the  scholar. 

Dr.  Johnson's  Ethices  Elementa,  or  First  Principles  of  Morality,  may  now  be  read 
by  the  scholars  and  explained  by  the  master,  to  lay  a  solid  foundation  of  virtue  and 
piety  in  their  minds,  and  as  this  class  continues  the  reading  of  history  let  them  now, 
at  proper  hours,  receive  some  further  instruction  in  chronology  and  in  that  part  of 
geography  (from  the  mathematical  master)  which  is  necessary  to  understand  the 
maps  and  globes.  They  should  also  be  acquainted  with  the  modern  names  of  the 
places  they  find  mentioned  in  ancient  writers;  the  exercises  of  good  reading  and 
proper  speaking  still  continued  at  suitable  times. 

FIFTH   CI-A8S. 

To  improve  the  youth  in  composition  they  may  now,  besides  continuing  to  write 
letters,  begin  to  write  little  essays  in  prose,  and  sometimes  in  verse,  not  to  make 
them  poets,  but  for  this  reason,  that  nothing  acquaints  a  lad  so  speedily  with  vari- 
ety of  expression  as  the  necessity  of  tindrng  such  words  and  phrases  as  will  suit  the 
measure,  sound,  and  rhyme  of  verse  and  at  the  same  time  well  express  the  senti- 
ment. These  essays  should  all  pass  under  the  master's  eye,  who  will  point  out  their 
faults  and  put  the  writer  on  correcting  them.     Where  the  judgment  is  not  ripe 


franklin's  self-education.  39 

enough  for  formiug  new  essays,  let  the  sentiment  of  a  Kpertator  be  given  and  re- 
quired to  be  clothed  in  the  scholar's  own  words;  or  the  circumstances  of  some  goo<l 
story,  the  scholar  to  find  expression.  Let  them  be  put  sometimes  on  abridging  a  para- 
graph of  a  diffuse  author;  sometimes  on  dihiting  or  amplifying  what  is  wn»te  more 
closely.  And  now  let  Dr.  Johnson's  Noetica,  or  First  Principles  of  Human  Knowl- 
edge, containing  a  logic,  or  art  of  reiisouiug,  etc.,  be  read  by  tbe  youth,  and  the 
dittieulties  that  may  occur  to  them  be  explained  by  the  master;  the  reading  of 
history  and  the  exercises  of  good  reading  and  just  speaking  still  continued. 

siXTH    CLASS. 

In  this  class,  besides  continuing  the  studies  of  the  preceding  in  history,  rhetoric, 
logic,  moral  and  natural  philosophy,  the  best  English  authors  may  be  read  and  ex- 
plained, iis  Tillotson,  Milton,  Locke,  Addison,  Pope,  Swift,  the  higher  itapers  in  tbe 
Spectator  and  Guardian,  the  best  translations  of  Homer,  Virgil,  and  Horace,  of 
Telemachus,  Travels  of  Cyrus,  etc. 

Once  u  year  let  there  be  public  exercises  in  the  hall,  the  tmsteea  and  citizens 
present.  Then  let  tine  gilt  books  be  given  as  prices  to  such  boys  as  distinguish 
themselves  and  excel  the  others  in  any  branch  of  learning,  making  three  degrees  of 
comparison ;  giving  the  best  prize  to  him  that  performs  the  best,  a  less  valuable  one 
to  iim  that  conies  up  next  to  the  best,  and  another  to  the  third,  conuuendations, 
encouragement,  and  advice  to  the  rest,  keeping  up  their  hopes  that  by  industry 
they  may  excel  another  time.  The  names  of  those  that  obtain  the  prizes  to  be  yearly 
printed  in  a  list. 

The  hours  of  each  day  are  to  be  divided  and  disposed  in  such  a  manner  as  that 
some  classes  may  be  with  the  writing  master,  improving  their  hands:  ttthers  with 
the  niathematicHl  master,  learning  arithmetic,  accounts,  geography,  use  of  tlie 
globes,  drawing,  mechanics,  etc.,  while  the  rest  are  in  the  English  school  under  the 
English  master's  care. 

Thus  instructed  youth  will  come  out  of  this  school  fitted  for  learning  any  busi- 
ness, calling;  or  profession,  except  such  wherein  languages  are  required,  and, 
though  unacquainted  with  any  ancient  or  foreign  tongue,  they  will  be  masters  of 
their  own,  Avhich  is  of  more  immediate  and  general  use,  and  withal  will  have  at- 
tained many  other  valuable  accomplishments;  the  time  usually  spent  in  ac(|uiriug 
those  languages,  often  without  success,  being  here  employed  in  laying  such  a  foun- 
dation of  knowledge  and  ability  as,  properly  improved,  may  qualify  them  to  pass 
through  and  execute  the  several  ofiSces  of  civil  life  with  advantage  and  reputation 
to  themselves  and  country. 

OBSERVATIONS    RELATIVE    TO    THE    INTENTIONS    OF    THE    ORIGINAL 
FOUNDERS  OF  THE  ACADEMY  IN  PHILADELPHIA,  JUNE,  1789. 

As  the  English  school  in  the  Academy  has  lieen  and  still  continues  to  be  a  subject 
of  dispute  and  discussion  among  the  trustees  since  the  restitution  of  the  charter, 
and  it  has  been  proposed  that  we  sluuild  have  some  regard  to  the  (U'iginal  intention 
of  the  founders  in  establishing  that  sch«tol,  I  beg  leave,  for  your  information,  to  lay 
before  you  what  I  know  of  the  matter  originally  and  what  I  tind  on  the  minutes  re- 
lating to  it,  by  which  it  will  appear  how  far  the  design  of  that  school  has  been  ad- 
hered to  or  neglected. 

Having  acquired  some  little  reputation  among  my  fellow-citizens  by  projecting 
the  public  library  in  1732,  and  obtaining  tiie  subscriptions  by  which  it  was  estab- 
lished, and  by  proposing  and  promoting  with  success  sundry  other  schemes  of  utility 
in  1749,  I  was  encouraged  to  hazard  another  project,  that  of  a  public  education  for 
our  youth.  As  in  the  scheme  of  the  library  I  had  provided  only  for  English  books, 
so  in  this  new  scheme  my  ideas  went  no  further  than  to  procure  the  means  of  a  good 
English  education.  A  number  of  my  friends  to  whom  I  communicated  the  proposal 
concurred  with  me  in  these  ideas ;  but  Mr.  Allen,  Mr.  Francis,  Mr.  Peters,  and  some 


4U  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

other  persons  of  wealth  and  learning,  whose  subscriptions  ami  countenance  we 
ebouhl  need,  being  of  opinion  that  it  onght  to  include  the  learned  languages,  I  sub- 
mitted my  judgment  to  theirs,  retaining,  however,  a  strong  ])reposse88ion  in  favor 
of  my  first  plan,  and  resolving  to  preserve  as  mnch  of  it  as  I  could,  and  to  nourish 
the  English  school  by  every  means  in  my  power. 

Before  I  went  about  to  procure  subscriptions,  I  thought  it  proper  to  prepare  the 
minds  of  the  people  by  a  i)amphlet,  which  I  wrote,  and  printed,  ami  distributed 
with  my  newspapers,  gratis.  The  title  Avas,  Proposals  Kelating  to  the  Education  of 
Y'«>uth  in  Pennsylvania.  I  hai»pcn  to  have  ]»reserved  one  of  them;  and,  by  reading 
a  few  ])assages,  it  will  appear  how  much  the  English  learning  was  insisted  upon  in 
it;  and  I  had  good  reasons  to  know  that  this  was  a  prevailing  part  of  the  motives 
for  subscribing  with  most  of  the  original  benefactors.'  I  met  with  but  few  refusals 
in  soliciting  the  subscriptions;  and  the  sum  was  the  more  considerable,  as  I  had  put 

'That  the  rector  be  a  man  of  good  understanding,  good  morals,  diligent  and 
patient,  learned  in  the  languages  and  sciences,  and  a  correct,  pure  speaker  and 
writer  of  the  English  tongue;  to  have  such  tutors  under  him  as  shall  be  necessary. 

The  English  language  might  be  taught  by  grammar;  in  which  some  of  Our  best 
writers,  as  Tillotson,  Addison,  Pope,  Algernon  Sidney,  Cato's  Letters,  etc.,  should 
be  classics;  the  styles  princii)ally  to  be  cultivated  being  the  clear  and  the  concise. 
Reading  should  also  be  taught,  .and  jironouucing  properly,  distinctly,  emphatically; 
not  with  an  even  tone,  whidi  underdoes,  nor  a  theatrical,  which  overdoes,  natiire. 

Mr.  Locke,  speaking  of  Grammar  (p.  2.52),  says  that,  "To  those,  the  greatest  part 
of  whose  business  in  this  world  is  to  be  done  with  their  tongue,  and  with  their  jtens, 
it  is  convenient,  if  not  necessary,  that  they  should  speak  properly  and  corrt'ctly, 
whereby  they  may  let  their  thoughts  into  other  men's  minds  the  more  easily,  and 
with  the  gr«'ater  imi>ression.  Ppon  this  account  it  is,  tiiat  any  sort  of  speaking,  so 
as  will  nuike  him  be  understood,  is  not  thought  enough  for  a  gentleman.  He  ought 
to  study  grammar  among  the  other  helpsof  speaking  well;  but  it  must  be  the  gram- 
mar of  his  own  tongue,  of  the  language  he  uses,  that  he  may  understand  his  own 
country  speech  nicely,  and  speak  it  properly,  without  shocking  the  ears  of  those  it 
is  adilressed  to  with  solecisms  and  oft'ensive  irregularities.  And  to  this  purposi; 
grammar  is  necessary;  but  it  is  tiie  grammar  only  of  their  own  proper  tougm-s,  an«l 
to  those  who  would  take  pains  in  cultivating  their  language  and  perfecting  their 
styles^  Whether  all  gentlemen  should  not  do  this  I  leave  to  be  considered;  since 
the  want  of  ]»ro])riety  and  grammatical  exactness  is  thought  very  mi8l)ecomijig  one 
of  that  rank,  and  usually  draws  «in  one,  guilty  of  such  faults,  the  imputation  of 
having  had  a  lower  breeding  and  worse  company  than  suit  with  his  ([Uality.  If 
this  be  so  (as  I  suppose  it  is),  it  will  be  matter  of  \v(mder  why  young  gentlemen 
are  forcwl  to  learn  the  grannuars  of  foreign  and  dead  languages,  and  are  never  once 
told  of  the  grammar  of  their  own  tongues.  They  do  not  so  much  as  know  there  i» 
any  such  thing,  much  less  is  it  made  their  business  to  l)e  instructed  in  it.  Nor  is 
tbeir  own  language  ever  proposed  to  them  as  worthy  their  care  and  cultivating, 
though  they  have  daily  use  of  it,  and  are  not  seldom  in  the  future  course  of  their 
lives  judged  of  l>y  their  handsome  or  awkward  way  of  exjtressing  themselves  in  it. 
AVhereas  t.h«"  languages,  whose  grammars  they  have  been  so  much  employed  in,  are 
such  as  jirobably  they  shall  scare*-  ever  speak  or  write;  or.  if  upon  occasion  this 
should  happen,  they  should  l»f  exeuse<l  for  the  mistakes  ami  faults  they  make  in  it. 
Would  not  a  Chinese,  who  took  notice  of  this  way  of  bree<ling,  be  apt  to  iitiagine 
that  all  our  young  gentlemen  were  designed  to  tte  teachers  and  ]»rofe8sars  of  the 
dead  languages  of  foreign  countries,  and  not  to  Tte  men  of  business  in  their  own?" 

The  same  author  adds  (p.  25.5),  "That  if  grammar  ouglit  to  be  taught  at  any  time, 
it  must  be  to  one  that  can  speak  the  language  already;  bowels*'  eaa  he  be  taught 
the  grammar  of  it?  This  at  least  is  evident  from  the  practice  of  the  wise  and  learned 
nations  among  the  ancients.  They  made  it  a  part  of  education,  to  cultivate  their 
Q^yen,  not  foreign  tongues.     The  Greeks  counted  all  other  nations  barbarous,  and  had 


pkanklin's  self-education.  41 

the  contribution  ou  fbiH  footing,  tliutit  was  not  to  b«!  immediate,  and  tbe  wholu 
])aid  at  once,  butiii  parts,  a  fifth  annually  during  five  years.  To  put  the  ma«diine 
ill  motion,  twenty-fotir  of  the  principal  subscribers  agreed  to  take  upon  themselves 
the  trust;  and  a  set  of  constitutions  for  their  government,  and  for  the  regulation  of 
the  schools,  were  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Francis  and  myself,  which  were  signed  by  us  all, 
and  printed,  that  the  public  might  know  what  was  to  be  expected. 

I  wrote  also  a  paper  entitled.  Idea  of  an  English  School,  which  was  printed  and 
afterwards  annexed  to  Mr.  Peter's  Sermon,  preached  at  the  openingof  the  Academy. 
This  paper  was  said  to  be  for  the  consideration  of  the  trustees;  and  the  expectation 
of  the  public,  that  the  idea  might  in  a  great  measure  he  carried  into  execution, 
contributed  to  render  the  subscriptions  more  liberal  as  well  as  more  general.  I 
mention  my  concern  in  these  transactions,  to  show  the  opportunity  •!  had  of  being 
well  informed  in  the  points  I  am  relating. 


a  contempt  fo»  their  languages.  And  though  the  Greek  learning  grew  in  credit 
among  the  Komans  toward  the  end  of  their  common wealtli,  yet  it  was  the  Roman 
tongue  that  was  made  the  study  of  their  youth.  Their  own  language  they  were  to 
make  use  of,  and  therefore  it  was  their  own  language  they  were  instructed  and  exer- 
cised in."  And  (p.  281),  ''There  can  scarce  be  a  greater  defect,"  says  he,  "in  a  gen- 
tleman, than  not  express  himself  well  either  in  writing  or  speaking.  But  yet  I  think 
I  may  ask  the  reader  whether  he  doth  not  know  a  great  many  who  live  upon  their 
estates,  and  so,  with  the  name,  should  have  the  qualities  of  gentlemen,  who  can  not 
so  much  as  tell  a  story  as  they  should,  much  less  speak  clearly  and  persuasively  in 
any  business.  This  I  think  not  to  be  so  nmch  their  fault  as  the  fault  of  their  educa- 
tion."   Thus  far  Locke. 

Monsieur  Rolliu  reckons  the  neglect  of  tea<hing  their  own  tongue  a  great  fault  in 
the  French  universities.  He  spends  a  great  part  of  his  first  volume  of  Belles  Let- 
tres  on  that  subject;  and  lays  down  some  excellent  rules  or  methods  of  teaching 
French  to  Frenchmen  grauiniatically.  and  making  them  masters  therein,  which  are 
very  apjtlicable  to  ()ur  language,  but  too  hmg  to  be  inserted  here.  He  practiced 
tliem  on  the  youth  under  liis  care  with  great  success. 

Mr.  Hutchinson  (Dial.,  p.  297)  says:  "To  jterfect  them  in  the  knowledge  of  their 
mother  tongue  they  should  learn  it  in  the  grammatical  way,  that  they  not  only 
speak  it  ]»nrely,  but  be  able  both  to  correct  their  own  idiom  and  afterward.s  enrich 
the  language  on  the  same  foundati<m." 

Dr.  TumbuU,  in  his  Observations  on  a  Liberal  Education,  says  (p.  262):  "The 
Greeks,  perhaps.  ina«le  more  early  advances  in  the  most  useful  sciences  tlinn  any 
youth  have  dime  since,  chiefly  on  this  account,  that  they  studied  no  other  language 
but  their  own.  This,  no  doubt,  saved  them  very  much  time ;  but  they  applied  them- 
selves carefully  to  the  study  of  their  own  language,  and  were  early  able  to  speak  and 
write  it  in  the  greatest  perfection.  The  Roman  youth,  though  they  learned  the 
Greek,  did  not  neglect  their  own  language,  but  studied  it  more  carefully  than  we 
now  do  Greek  and  Latin,  without  giving  ourselves  any  trouble  about  our  <iwu 
tongue." 

Monsieur  Simon,  in  an  elegant  discourse  of  his  among  the  Memoirsoftlie  Academy 
of  Belles  Lettres,  at  Paris,  speaking  of  the  stress  the  Romans  laid  cm  purity  of  lan- 
guage and  graceful  pronunciation,  adds:  "May  I  here  make  a  retlection  on  the  edu- 
cation we  commonly  give  our  children  ?  It  is  very  remote  from  the  precepts  I  have 
mentioned.  Hath  the  child  arrived  to  6  or  7  years  of  age  he  mixes  with  a  herd  of 
ill-bred  boys  at  school,  where,  under  the  jiretext  of  teaching  him  Latin,  no  regard  is 
had  to  his  mother  tongue.  And  A\ihat  happens?  What  we  see  every  day.  A  young 
gentleman.of  18  who  has  had  this  education  can  not  read.  For  to  articulate  the 
words  and  join  them  together  I  do  not  call  reading  unless  one  can  pronounce  well, 
observe  all  proper  stops,  vary  the  voice,  express  the  senthnent.  and  read  with  a  deli- 
cate intelligence.  Nor  can  he  speak  a  .j«tt  better.  A  proof  of  this  is  that  he  can  not 
write  ten  lines  without  committing  gross  faults,  and  because  he  did  not  leam  his 


42  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

The«e  constitutions  are  upon  record  in  your  minutes;  and,  although  the  Latin  and 

Greek  are  by  them  to  be  taught,  the  original  idea  of  a  complete  English  educa'tion 

was  not  forgotten,  an  will  appear  by  the  following  extracts: 
Paye  1. — "  The  English  tongue  is  to  be  taught  grammatically,  and  as  a  language." 
Patje  4. — In  reciting  the  qualihcation  of  tlie  person  to  be  appointed  rector,  it   is 

said,   "  that  great  regard  is  to  be  had  to  his  polite  speaking,  Avriting,  and  undei- 

stauding  the  English  tongue." 


own  language  well  in  his  early  years  be  will  never  know  it  well.  I  except  a  few,  who 
being  afterwards  engaged  by  their  profession  or  their  natural  taste,  cultivate  their 
minds  by  study.  And  yet,  even  they,  if  they  attempt  to  Avrite,  will  find  by  the 
labor  what  coippositiou  costs  them,  what  a  loss  it  is  not  to  have  learned  their  lan- 
guage in  proper  season.  Education  among  the  Komaus  was  upon  a  quite  different 
footing.  Masters  of  rhetoric  taught  them  early  the  principles,  the  difficulties,  the 
beauties,  the  subtilties,  the  dejtths,  the  riches  of  their  own  language.  When  they 
went  from  these  schools  they  were  perfect  masters  of  it;  they  were  never  at  a  loss 
for  proper  expression,  and  I  am  much  deceived'if  it  Avas  not  owing  to  this  that  they 
produced  such  excellent  works  with  so  marvelous  facility." 

Pliny,  in  his  letter  to  a  lady  on  choosing  a  tutor  for  her  son,  speaks  of  it  as  the 
most  material  thing  in  his  education  that  he  should  have  a  good  Latin  master  of 
rhetoric,  and  recommends  Julius  Genitor  for  his  eloquent,  open,  and  plain  faculty 
of  speaking.  He  does  not  advise  her  to  a  Greek  master  of  rhetoric,  though  the 
Greeks  were  famous  for  that  science,  but  to  a  Latin  master  because  Latin  was  the 
boy's  mother  tongue.  In  the  above  quobition  from  Monsieur  Simon  we  see  what  was 
the  office  and  duty  of  the  master  of  rhetoric. 

To  form  their  stylo  they  should  be  put  on  writing  letters  to  each  other,  making 
abstracts  of  what  they  read ;  or  writing  tlie  same  things  in  tlieir  own  words;  telling 
or  writing  stories  lately  read,  in  their  own  expressions.  All  to  be  revised  and  cor- 
rected by  the  tutor,  who  should  give  his  reasons,  explain  the  force  and  import  of 
words,  etc. 

This  Mr.  Locke  recommends  (Educ,  ]>.  284),  and  says:  "  The  writing  of  letters  has 
so  much  to  do  in  all  the  occurrences  of  human  life  that  no  gentleman  can  avoid  show- 
ing himself  in  this  kind  of  writing.  Occasions  will  daily  force  him  to  make  this  use 
of  his  pen,  which,  besides  the  consequence  that,  in  his  affairs,  the  well  or  ill  manag- 
ing it  often  draws  after  it,  always  lays  him  open  to  a  severer  examination  of  his 
breeding,  sense,  and  abilities  than  oral  discourses,  whose  transieut  faults,  dying  for 
the  most  part  with  the  sound  tliat  gives  them  life,  and  so  not  subject  to  a  strict  re- 
view, more  easily  escape  observation  and  censure." 

He  adds:  "Had  the  methods  of  cdiuation  been  directed  to  their  right  end,  one 
would  have  thought  this  so  necessary  a  i)art  could  not  have  been  neglected,  whiLst 
themes  and  verses  in  Latin,  of  no  use  at  all,  were  so  constantly  everywhere  presse<l, 
to  the  racking  of  <;hildreu'8  invention  beyond  their  strength,  and  hindering  their 
cheerful  progress  by  unnatural  <iifficnlties.  l$ut  custom  has  so  ordained  it,  and  who 
dares  disobey?  And  would  it  not  be  very  unreasonable  to  require  of  a  learned 
country  schoohuaster  (who  has  all  the  tropes  and  figures  in  Farnaby's  Rhetoric  at 
bis  fingers' ends)  to  teach  his  scholar  to  express  himself  handsomely  in  English,  when 
it  appears  to  be  so  lif  tie  his  business  or  thought  that  the  boy's  mother  (despised,  'tis 
like,  as  illiterate  for  not  having  read  a  system  of  logic  or  rhetoric)  outdoes  him  in  it? 

"To  speak  and  write  correctly  gives  a  grace  and  gains  a  favorable  attention  to 
what  one  has  to  say.  And  since  'tis  English  that  an  Englishman  will  have  constant 
use  of,  that  is  the  language  he  should  chiefly  cultivate  and  wherein  most  care  should 
be  taken  to  polisli  and  perfect  his  style.  To  speak  or  write  better  Latin  than  English 
may  make  a  man  be  talked  of;  but  he  will  find  it  more  to  his  purpose  to  express  him- 
self well  in  his  own  tongue,  that  he  uses  every  moment,  than  to  have  the  vain  com- 
mendations of  others  lor  a  very  insignificant  quality.    This  I  find  universally  neglected. 


franklin's  self-education.  43 

"The  tector  was  to  have  200  poniuls  a  year,  for  which  he  was  to  he  obliged  to 
teach  20  boys,  without  any  assistauce  (and  twenty-five  more  for  every  uslier  pro- 
vided for  him), the  Latin  and  Greek  languages;  and  at  the  name  time  in^4tructthemiu 
history,  geography,  chronology,  logic,  rhetoric,  and  the  English  tongue." 

"The  rector  was  also,  on  all  occasions  consistent  with  his  duty  in  the  Latin  school, 
to  assist  the  English  master  in  improving  the  youth 'under  his  care.  " 

Page  5. — "  The  trustees  shall,  with  all  convenient  speed,  contract  with  any  person 

nor  no  care  taken  anywhere  to  improve  young  men  in  their  own  language,  that  they 
may  thoroughly  understand  and  be  masters  of  it.  If  anyone  among  us  have  a  facility 
or  purity  more  than  ordinary  in  his  mother  tongue,  it  is  owing  to  chance,  or  his 
genius,  or  anything,  rather  than  to  his  education  or  any  care  of  his  teacher.  To 
mind  what  English  his  pupil  speaks  or  writes  is  below  the  dignity  of  one  bred  up 
among  Greek  and  Latin,  though  he  have  but  little  of  them  himself.  These  are  the 
learned  languages,  fit  only  for  learned  men  to  meddle  with  and  teach ;  English  is  the 
laugusige  of  the  illiterate  and  vulgar.  Though  the  great  men  among  the  Komaus  were 
daily  exercising  themselves  in  their  own  language,  and  we  find  yet  upon  the  record 
the  names  of  orators  who  taught  some  of  their  Emperors  Latin,  though  it  were  tbeir 
mother  tongue,  'tis  plain  the  Greeks  were  yet  more  nice  in  theirs.  All  other  speech 
was  barbarous  to  them  but  their  own,  and  no  foreign  language  appears  to  have  been 
studied  or  valued  amongst  that  learned  and  acute  people,  though  it  be  past  doubt 
that  they  borrowed  their  learning  and  philosophy  from  abroad.'' 

To  the  same  purpose  writes  a  person  of  eminent  learning  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Turn- 
bull.  "Nothing,  certainly,"  says  he,  "can  be  of  more  service  to  mankind  than  a 
right  method  of  educating  the  youth,  aud  I  should  be  glad  to  hear — to  give  an 
example  of  the  great  advantage  it  would  be  to  the  rising  age  and  to  our  nation. 
When  our  public  schools  were  first  established  the  knowledge  of  Latin  was  thought 
learning ;  aud  he  that  had  a  tolerable  skill  in  two  or  thi'ee  languages,  though  his 
mind  was  not  enlightened*by  any  I'eal  knowledge,  was  a  profound  scholar.  But  it 
is  not  so  at  present;  aud  people  confess  that  men  may  have  obtained  a  perfection  in 
these  and  yet  continue  deeply  ignorant.  The  Greek  education  was  of  another  kind" 
(which  he  describes  in  several  particulars,  and  adds) :  "they  studied  to  write  their 
own  tongue  more  accurately  than  we  do  Latin  and  Greek.  But  where  is  English 
taught  at  present?  Who  thinks  it  of  use  to  study  correctly  that  language  which  he 
is  so  used  to  every  day  in  his  life,  be  his  station  ever  so  high  or  ever  so  insignificant.. 
It  is  in  this  the  nobility  aud  gentry  defend  their  country,  and  serve  their  prince  in 
Parliament;  in  this  the  lawyers  plead,  the  divines  instruct,  and  all  ranks  of  people 
write  their  letters  and  transact  all  tbeir  affairs;  and  yet  who  tliinks  it  worth  while 
his  learning  to  write  this  even  accurately,  not  to  say  politely?  Everyone  is  suttered 
to  form  his  style  by  chance;  to  imitate  the  first  wretched  model  which  falls  in  his 
way  before  he  knows  what  is  faulty  or  can  relish  the  beauties  of  a  just  simplicity. 
Few  think  their  children  qualified  for  a  trade  till  they  have  been  whipped  at  a  Latin 
school  for  five  or  six  years  to  learn  a  little  of  that  which  they  are  obliged  to  forget, 
when  in  those  years  right  education  would  have  improved  their  minds  and  taught 
them  to  acquire  habits  of  writing  their  own  language  easily  under  right  direction; 
aud  this  would  have  been  u.seful  to  them  as  long  as  they  lived."     (Introd.,  pp.  3-5.) 

To  form  their  pronunciation,  they  may  be  put  on  making  declamations,  repeating 
speeches,  delivering  orations,  etc. ;  the  tutor  assisting  at  the  rehearsals,  teaching, 
advising,  correcting  their  accent,  etc.  By  pronounciatiou  is  here  meant  the  proper 
modulation  of  the  voice  to  suit  the  subject,  with  due  emphasis,  action,  etc.  In 
delivering  a  discourse  in  public  designed  to  persuade,  the  manner,  perhaps,  con- 
tributes more  to  success  than  either  the  matter  or  method.  Yet  the  two  latter  seem 
to  engross  the  attention  of  most  preachers  and  other  public  speakers,  and  the  former 
to  be  almost  totally  neglected. 


44  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

that  ofl'ers,  wboui  they  shall  judge  iMost  tapii])le  of  teaching  the  English  tongue 
grauimatically  and  as  a  language,  history,  geography,  thronology,  logic,  and  oratory ; 
whieh  person  shall  be  styled  the  English  master." 

The  English  master  was  to  have  100  pounds  a  year,  for  "which  he  was  to  teach, 
without  an}'  assistance,  forty  scholars  the  English  tongue  grammatically;  and  at 
the  same  tiuie  instruct  them  iif  history,  geography,  chronology,  logic,  and  oratory; 
and  sixty  scliolars  more  for  every  usher  i)rovided  for  him. 

It  is  to  he  observed,  in  this  place,  that  here  are  two  distinct  courses  in  the  same 
study — that  is,  of  the  same  branches  of  science,  viz,,  history,  geography,  chronology, 
logitf,  and  oratory — to  be  carried  on  at  the  same  time,  but  not  by  the  same  tutor  or 
master.  The  English  master  is  to  teach  his  scholars  all  those  branches  of  science, 
and  also  the  English  tongue  grammatically,  as  a  language.  The  Latin  master  is  to 
teach  the  same  sciences  to  his  boys,  besides  the  Greek  and  Latin.  He  was  also  to 
assist  the  English  master  occasionally,  without  which,  and  his  general  care  in  the 
government  of  the  schools,  the  giving  him  double  salary  seems  not  well  accounted 
for.  But  here  are  plainly  two  tlistinct  schools  or  courses  of  education  provided  for. 
The  Latin  master  was  not  to  teach  the  English  scholars  logic,  rhetoric,  etc. ;  that 
was  the  duty  of  the  English  master;  but  he  was  to  teach  those  sciences  to  the  Latin 
scholars.  We  shall  see,  hereafter,  how  easily  this  original  plan  was  defeated  and 
departed  from. 

When  the  constitutions  were  first  drawn,  blanks  were  left  for  the  salaries  and  for 
the  nuuiber  of  boys  the  Latin  master  was  to  teach.  The  first  instance  of  partiality 
in  favor  of  the  Latin  part  of  the  institution  was  in  giving  the  title  of  rector  to  the 
Latin  master  and  no  title  to  the  English  one.  But  the  most  striking  instance  was, 
when  we  met  to  sign,  and  the  blanks  were  first  to  be  filled  up,  the  votes  of  a  major- 
ity carried  it  to  give  twice  as  much  salary  to  the  Latin  master  as  to  the  English,  and 
yet  require  twice  as  much  duty  from  the  English  master  as  from  the  Latin,  viz, 
£200  to  the  Latin  master  to  teach  20  boys,  £100  to  \he  English  master  to  teach  40! 
However,  the  trustees  who  voted  these  salaries,  being  tfiemselves  by  far  the  greatest 
subscribers,  though  not  the  most  numerous,  it  was  thought  they  had  a  kind  of  right 
to  ])redoniinatc  in  luoney  matters,  and  those  who  had  wished  an  equal  regard  might 
have  been  shown  to  both  schools,  submitt«;d,  though  not  without  regret,  andat  times 
some  little  T!oniplainiug.  which,  with  their  not  being  able  in  nine  months  to  find  a 
proper  jjcrson  for  English  master  who  would  undertake  the  office  for  so  low  a  salary, 
induced  the  trustees  at  length,  viz,  in  July,  1750,  to  oifer  £50  more. 

Another  instance  of  the  partiality  above  mentioned  was  in  the  March  preceding, 
when  £1(X)  sterling  was  voted  to  buy  Latin  and  Greek  books,  maps,  drafts,  and  in- 
struments for  the  use  of  the  Academy  and  nothing  for  the  English  books. 

The  great  ]»art  of  the  subscribers,  who  had  the  English  education  chiefly  in  view, 
were,  however,  soothed  into  a  submission  to  these  partialities,  chiefly  by  the  expec- 
tation given  them  by  the  constitution,  viz,  that  the  trustees  would  make  it  their 
])lHa8ure,  and  in  .soiue  degree  their  business,  to  visit  the  Academy  often,  to  encourage 
and  i'ountenance  the  youth,  look  on  the  students  as  in  some  measure  their  own  chil- 
dren, treat  them  with  fauiiliarity  and  affection;  and,  when  they  have  behaved  well, 
gone  through  their  studies,  and  are  to  enter  the  world,  the  trustees  shall  zealously 
unite  and  make  all  the  interest  tiiat  can  be  made  to  promote  and  establish  them, 
whether  in  business,  offices,  marriages,  or  any  other  thing  for  their  advantage,  prefer- 
able to  all  other  persons  whatsoever,  even  of  equal  merit. 

'I'hese  splendid  promises  dazzled  the  eyes  of  the  pjiblic.  The  trustees  were  most  of 
them  the  principal  gentlemen  of  the  province..  Children  taught  in  other  schools  had 
no  reason  to  expect  such  powerlul  patronage.  The  subscribers  had  placed  such  en- 
tire confidence  in  them  as  to  leave  themselves  no  power  of  changing  them  if  their 
conduct  of  the  plan  should  be  disapproved;  and  so,  in  hopes  of  the  best,  all  these 
partialities  were  submitted  to. 


franklin's  self-education.  45 

Near  a  year  passed  before  a  proper  person  was  found  to  take  charge  of  the  English 
school.  At  length  Mr.  Dove,  who  had  been  many  years  master  of  a  school  in  Eng- 
land, and  had  come  hither  with  an  apparatus  for  giving  lectures  in  experimental 
philosophy,  was  prevailed  with  by  me,  after  his  lectures  were  finished,  to  accept 
that  employment  for  the  salary  offered,  though  he  thought  it  too  scanty.  He  had 
a  good  voice,  read  perfectly  well,  with  proper  accent  and  just  pronunciation,  and 
his  method  of  communicating  habits  of  the  same  kind  to  his  pupils  was  this: 
When  he  gave  a  lesson  to  one  of  them,  he  always  first  read  it  to  him  aloud,  with  all  the 
difiereut  modulations  of  voice  that  the  subject  and  the  sense  re<iuired.  These  the 
scholars,  in  studying  and  repeating  the  lesson,  naturally  endeavored  to  imitate; 
and  it  was  really  surprising  to  see  how  soon  they  caught  his  manner,  which  con- 
vinced me  and  others  who  frequently  attended  his  school,  that,  though  bad  times 
and  manners  iu  reading  are,  when  once  acquired,  rarely,  with  diflBculty,  if  ever  cured, 
yet,  when  none  have  been  already  formed,  good  ones  are  as  easily  learned  as  bad. 
In  a  few  weeks  after  opening  his  school,  the  trustees  were  invited  to  hear  the  schol- 
ars read  and  recite.  The  parents  and  relations  of  the  boys  also  attended.  The  per- 
formances were  surprisingly  good,  and  of  course  Avere  admired  and  applauded;  and 
the  English  school  thereby  acquired  such  reputation  that  the  number  of  Mr.  Dove's 
scholars  soon  amounted  to  upwards  of  ninety,  which  number  did  not  diminish  as 
long  as  he  continued  master,  viz,  upwards  of  two  years;  but,  he  finding  the  salary 
insuflBcient,  and  having  setup  a  school  for  girls  in  his  own  house  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciency, and  quitting  the  boys'  school  somewhat  before  the  hour  to  attend  the  girls, 
the  trustees  disapproved  of  his  so  doing,  aiul  he  quitted  their  employment,  contin- 
ued his  girls'  school,  and  opened  one  for  boys  on  his  own  account.  The  trustees 
provided  another  English  master ;  but,  though  a  good  man,  yet  not  possessing  the 
tj^lents  of  an  English  schoolmaster  in  the  same  perfection  with  Mr.  Dove,  the  school 
diminished  daily,  and  soon  was  found  to  have  but  about  forty  scholars  left.  The 
performance  of  the  boys,  in  reading  and  speaking,  were  no  longer  so  brilliant;  the 
trustees  of  course  had  not  the  same  pleastire  iu  hearing  them,  aud  the  monthly  visi- 
tations, which  had  so  long  afforded  a  delightfiil  entertainment  to  large  audiences, 
became  less  and  less  Attended,  and  at  length  discontinued;  and  the  English  school 
has  never  since  recovered  its  original  reputation. 

Thus,  by  our  injudiciously  starving  the  English  part  of  our  scheme  of  education, 
we  only  saved  £.50  a  year,  which  was  required  as  an  additional  salary  to  an  ac- 
knowledged excellent  English  master,  whick  would  have  equaled  his  encourage- 
ment to  that  of  the  Latin  master.  I  say,  by  saving  the  £50,  we  lost  fiftj-  scholars, 
which  would  have  been  £200  a  year,  and  defeated,  besides,  one  great. end  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

In  the  meantime  our  favors  wei'e  showered  upon  the  Latin  part.  The  number  of 
teachers  was  increased  and  their  salaries  from  time  to  time  augmented  till,  if  I  mis- 
take not,  they  amounted  in  the  Avhole  to  more  than  £600  a  year,  though  the  schol- 
ars hardly  ever  exceeded  sixty ;  so  that  each  scholar  cost  the  funds  £10  per  annum, 
while  he  paid  but  £4,  which  was  a  loss  of  £6  on  every  one  of  them. 

The  monthly  visitations  of  the  schools  by  the  trustees  having  been  long  neglected, 
the  omission  Avas  complained  of  by  the  parents  as  a  breach  of  original  promise; 
whereupon  the  trustees  (July  11,  1755)  made  it  A  law  that  "they  should  meet  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  every  month,  at  the  Academy,  to  visit  the  schools,  examine  the 
scholars,  hear  their  public  exercises,"  etc.  This  good  law,  however,  like  many 
others,  was  not  long  obserAcd ;  for  I  find  by  a  minute  of  December  14, 1756,  that  the 
examination  of  the  schools  by  the  trustees  had  been  long  neglected,  and  it  Avas 
agreed  that  it  should  thereafter  be  done  on  the  first  Monday  in  e\'ery  month;  and 
yet,  notwithstanding  this  ucav  rule,  the  neglect  returned,  so  that  we  are  informed, 
by  another  minute  of  January  13,  1761,  "that  for  five  mouths  past  there  had  not 
been  one  meeting  of  the  trustees."  In  the  course  of  fourte-n  years  scA-eral  of  the 
original  trustees,  who  had  been  disposed  to  favor  the  English  school,  deceased,  and 


46  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

V 

others  not  so  favora>)le  were  chosen  to  supply  their  places;  however,  it  appears  by 
the  minutes  that  the  remaimler  had  sometimes  weight  enough  to  recall  the  atten- 
tion of  their  colleagues  to  that  school  and  obtain  acknowledgments  of  the  unjust 
neglect  it  had  been  treated  with.  Of  this  the  following  extract  from  the  minutes  is 
authentic  proof,  viz  (Minute  Book,  Vol.  1,  I'ebruary  8,  1763): 

"The  state  of  the  English  school  was  taken  into  consideration,  and  it  was  ob- 
served that  Mr.  Kinnersley's  time  was  entirely  taken  up  in  teaching  little  boys  the 
elements  of  the  English  language  (this  is  what  it  dwindled  into — a  school  similar  to 
those  kept  by  old  women  who  teach  children  their  letters);  and  that  sjteaking  and 
rehearsing  in  public  "wex'e  totally  disjised,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the  other  schcd- 
ars  and  students,  and  contrary  to  the  original  design  of  the  trustees  in  the  forming 
of  that  school;  and,  as  this  was  a  matter  of  great  importance,  it  was  particularly 
recommended  to  be  i'ully  considered  by  their  trustees  at  their  next  meeting." 

At  their  next  nu-ctiug  it  was  not  considered,  but  this  minute  contains  fnll  proof 
of  the  fact  that  tlie  English  education  had  been  neglected,  and  it  contains  an  ac- 
knowledgment that  the  conduct  of  the  English  school  was  contrary  to  the  original 
design  of  the  trustees  in  forming  it. 

In  the  same  book  of  minutes  we  find  the  following  of  April  12, 1763:  "The  state  of 
the  English  school  was  again  taken  into  consideration,  audit  was  the  opinion  of  the 
trustees  that  the  original  design  should  be  prosecuted,  of  teaching  the  scholars  (of 
t^hat  and  other  schools)  the  elegance  of  the  English  language,  and  giving  them  a 
proper  pronunciation ;  and  tliat  the  old  method  of  hearing  them  read  and  repeat  in 
public  should  be  again  used.  And  a  committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  Mr. 
Kiunersley  how  this  might  best  be  done,  as  well  ^s  what  assistance  it  would  be  rtec- 
essary  to  give  Mr.  Kiunersley  to  enable  him  to  attend  this  necessary  service,  which 
was  indeed  the  proper  business  of  his  professorship." 

In  this  minute  we  have  another  acknowledgment  of  what  was  the  original  design 
of  the  English  school;  but  here  are  some  words  thrown  in  to  countenance  an  inno- 
vation, which  had  been  for  some  time  practiced.  The  words  are,  "and  the  other 
scl^ools."  Originally,  by  the  constitu-tious,  the  rector  was  to  teach  the  Latin  schol- 
ars their  English.  The  words  of  the  constitution  are:  "The  r^tor  shall  be  obliged, 
without  assistance  of  any  usher,  to  teach  twenty  scholars  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages and  the  English  tongue."'  To  enable  him  to  do  this,  we  have  seen  that  some 
of  his  qualifications,  indispensably  required,  were,  his  polite  speaking,  writing, 
and  understanding  the  English  tongue.  Having  these,  he  was  enjoined,  on  all  oc- 
casions consistent  with  his  other  duties,  to  assist  the  English  master  in  improving 
the  boys  under  his  care;  but  there  is  not  a  word  obliging  the  English  master  to 
teach  the  Lai  ill  boys  English.  However,  the  Latin  masters,  either  unable  to  do  it 
or  unwilling  to  take  the  trouble,  had  got  him  up  among  them,  and  employed  so 
much  of  his  time,  that  this  minute  owns  he  could  not,  withoiit  further  assistance, 
attend  the  necessary  service  of  his  own  school,  which,  as  the  minute  expressly  says, 
"was  indeed  the  projTcr  business  of  his  professorship." 

Notwithstanding  this  good  resolution  of  the  trustees,  it  seems  the  execution  of  it 
was  neglected;  and,  the  public  not  being  satisfied,  they  were  again  hannted  by  the 
friends  of  the  children  with  tlie  old  complaint,  that  the  original  constitutions  were 
not  complied  with  in  regard  to  the  Englisli  school.  Tbeirsituation  was  unpleasant. 
On  the  ouc  hand,  there  were  still  remaining  some  of  the  first  trustees,  who  were 
friends  to  the  scheme  of  English  education,  and  these  would  now  and  then  be  re- 
marking that  it  was  neglecteil,  and  would  be  moving  for  a  reformation;  the  con- 
stitutions at  the  same  time,  staring  the  trustees  in  the  face,  gave  weight  to  these 
remarks.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Latinists  were  combined  to  decry  the  English 
school  as  useless.  It  was  without  example,  they  said,  as  indeed  they  still  say,  that 
a  school  for  teaching  the  vulgar  tongue,  and  the  sciences  in  that  tongue  was  ever 
joined  with  a  college,  and  the  Latin  masters  were  fully  competent  to  teach  the  Eug- 
Ush. 


franklin's  self-education.  47 

I  will  not  say  that  the  Latinista  looked  on  every  expense  upon  the  English  school 
as  8o  far  disabling  the  trustees  from  augmenting  their  salaries,  and  therefore  regard- 
ing it  with  an  evil  eye;  but,  when  I  find  the  minutes  constantly  filled  with  their  ap- 
plications for  higher  wages,  I  can  not  but  see  their  great  regard  for  money  matters, 
and  suspect  a  little  their  using  their  interest  and  influence  to  prevail  with  the  trus- 
tees not  to  encourage  that  school.  And,  imleed,  the  following  minute  is  so  different 
iu  spirit  and  sentiment  from  that  last  recited,  that  one  can  not  avoid  concluding 
tliat  some  extraordinary  pains  must  have  been  taken  with  the  trustees  between  the 
two  meetings  of  April  12  and  June  13,  to  produce  a  resolution  so  very  different,  which 
here  follows  in  this  minute,  viz:  "June  13,  1763.— Some  of  the  parents  of  the  chil- 
dren in  the  Academy  having  complained  that  their  children  were  not  taught  to  spealf 
and  read  in  public,  and  having  requested  that  this  useful  i>art  of  education  might 
be  more  attended  to,  Mr.  Kinncrsley  Avas  called  iu,  and  desired  to  give  an  account 
of  what  was  done  iu  this  branch  of  his  duty;  and  he  declared  that  this  was  well 
taugfit,  not  only  in  the  English  school,  which  was  more  immediately  under  his  care, 
but  in  the  philosophy  classes  regularly  every  Monday  afternoon,  and  as  often  at 
other  times  as  his  other  business  would  permit.  And  it  not  appearing  to  the  trus- 
tees that  any  more  could  at  present  be  done  without  partialitj-  and  great  inconven- 
ience, and  that  this  was  all  that  was  ever  proposed  to  be  done,  they  did  not  incline 
to  make  any  alteration,  or  to  lay  any  farther  burthen  on  Mr.  Kinnersley."  Not* 
here,  that  the  English  school  had  not  for  some  years  preceding  been  visited  by  the 
trustees.  If  it  had,  they  would  have  known  the  stat«  of  it  without  making  this  in- 
quiry of  the  master.  They  might  have  judged  whether  the  children  more  inune- 
diatfly  umler  his  care  were  in  truth  well  taught,  without  taking  his  word  for  it,  as 
it  appears  thcj'  did.  But  it  seems  ho  had  a  merit,  which,  when  he  pleaded  it,  ef- 
fectually excused  him.  He  spent  his  time  when  out  of  the  English  school  in  in- 
structing the  philosophy  classes  who  were  of  the  Latin  part  of  the  institntion. 
Therefore  they  did  not  think  proper  to  lay  any  further  burden  upon  him. 

It  is  a  little  diflScult  to  conceive  how  these  trustees  could  bring  themselves  to  de- 
clare that  "no  more  could  be  done  in  the  English  school  than  was  then  done,"  when 
their  preceding  minute  declares  that  "the  original  design  was  teaching  scholars  the 
elegance  of  the  English  language  and  giving  them  a  proper  pronunciation  ;  and  that 
hearing  them  read  and  repeat  in  public  Avas  the  old  method,  and  should  again  be 
used.''  And,  certainly,  the  method  that  had  been  used  might  bo  again  used,  if  the 
trustees  had  thought  fit  to  order  Mr.  Kinnersley  to  attend  Jiis  own  school,  and  not 
spend  his  time  in  the  philosojihy  classes,  where  his  duty  did  not  ref|uire  his  attend- 
ance. What  the  apprehended  partiality  was,  which  the  minute  mentions,  does  not 
appear,  and  can  not  ea-stily  be  imagined ;  and  the  great  inconvenience  of  obliging  him 
to  attend  his  own  school  could  only  be  depriving  the  LatinistA  of  his  assistance,  to 
which  they  had  no  right. 

The  trustees  may  possibly  have  supposed  that  by  this  resolution  they  had  pre- 
cluded all  future  attempts  to  trouble  them  with  respect  to  their  conduct  of  tlio 
English  school.  The  parents  indeed,  despairing  of  any  reformation,  withdrew  their 
children  and  placed  them  iu  private  schools,  ot  whieli  several  now  appeared  in  the 
city,  professing  to  teach  what  had  been  promised  to  be  taught  in  the  Academy;  and 
they  have  since  flourislied  and  iucrea.sed  by  the  schidars  the  Academy  might  have 
had  if  it  had  performed  its  engagements.  But  the  public  was  not  satisfied;  and  we 
find,  five  years  after,  the  English  scliool  appearing  again,  after  five  years'  silence, 
haunting  the  trustees  like  an  evil  conscience,  and  reminding  tbeni  of  their  failure  in 
duty.  For,  of  tlicir  meetings  .January  19-26,  1768,  we  find  these  minutes:  "Jan. 
19,  1768.— It  having  been  remarked  that  the  scho«ds  sutler  in  f  lie  ]iublic  esteem  by 
the  discontinuance  of  public  speaking,  a  special  meeting  is  to  be  <alled  on  Tuesday 
next,  to  consider  the  state  of  the  English  school,  and  to  regulate  such  matters  as 
may  be  necessary."  "  Jan.  26,  1768. — A  special  meeting.  It  is  agreed  t"  gi  veMr.  Jon. 
EAston  and  Mr,  Thomas  Hall,  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  pounds  per  annum  each,  for 


48  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

assisting  Mr.  Kinnersley  in  the  English  school,  and  taking  care  of  the  same  when  he 
shall  he  employed  in  teaching  the  students,  in  the  philosophy  classes  and  grammar 
school,  the  art  of  public  speaking.  A  committee,  Mr.  Peters,  Mr.  C'oxe,  and  Mr. 
Duch^,  with  the  masters,  was  appointed  to  fix  rules  and  times  for  cmjiloying  the 
youth  in  public  speaking.  Mr.  Easton  and  Mr.  Hall  are  to  be  paid  out  of  a  fund  to 
be  raised  by  some  public  performance  for  the  benefit  of  the  college." 

It  appears  from,  these  minutes  (1)  that  the  reputation  of  the  Academy  had  suf- 
fered in  the  public  esteem  by  the  trustees'  neglect  of  that  school ;  (2)  that  Mr.  Kin- 
nersley, whose  sole  business  it  was  to  attend  it,  had  been  railed  from  his  duty  and 
emploj-ed  in  the  philosophy  classes  and  Ijatin  grammar  school,  teaching  the. scliolars 
tiiere  the  art  of  public  speaking,  which  the  Latinists  used  to  boast  they  could  teach 
themselves;  (3)  that  the  neglect  for  so  many  years  of  the  English  scholars,  by  this 
substraction  of  their  msister,  was  now  acknowledged,  and  juoposed  to.be  remedied 
for  the  future  by  engaging  two  ])ersou8,  Mr.  Hall  and  Mr.  Easton.  at  £2.'>  per  an- 
num, to  take  care  of  those  scholars,  while  Mr.  Kinnensley  was  employed  among  the 
Latiuists. 

Care  was.  however,  taken  liy  the  trustees  not  to  be  at  any  expense  for  this  assist- 
ance to  Mr.  Kinnersley,  for  Hall  and  Easton  were  only  to  be  paid  out  r>f  the  uncer- 
tain fund  of  nu)ney  to  be  raised  by  some  public  performance  for  the  benefit  of  the 
college. 

A  committee  was,  however,  now  appointed  to  fix  rules  and  times  lor  employing 
the  youth  in  piiblic  speaking.  AVhether  anything  wa,s  done  in  consequence  of  these 
minutes  does  not  appear,  no  report  of  the  committee  respecting  tbeir  doings  being 
to  be  found  on  the  records,  and  the  probability  is  that  they  did,  as  heretofore,  noth- 
ing to  the  )>urpose.  For  the  English  school  continued  to  decline,  and  the  first  sub- 
serpient  nuMition  we  find  made  of  it  is  the  minute  of  March  21,  1769,  when  the  design 
began  to  be  ent«;rtained  of  abolishing  it  altogether,  whereby  the  Latiuists  would 
get  rid  of  an  eyesore  and  the  trustees  of  what  o<"casioned  tliemsuch  frequent  trouble.^ 
The  minute  is  this:  ''The  state  of  the  English  school  is  to  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion at  next  meeting,  an<l  wbetlier  it  be  proper  to  ctmtinue  it  on  its  jtresent  footing 
or  not."  This  consideration  was,  however,  not  taken  at  the  next  meeting,  at  least 
nothing  was  c<mcluded  so  as  to  be  minuted;  nor  do  we  find  any  further  mention  of 
the  Engiish  scho<d  till  the  18tli  of  July,  when  tlie  following  niinnte  was  entered, 
viz:  ".\  special  meeting  is  ajtpointed  to  be  held  on  Monday  next,  and  notice  to  be 
given  that  the  design  of  this  meeting  is  to  consider  whether  this  English  school  is 
to  be  longer  continued." 

This  special  meeting  was  accordingly  held  on  the  23d  of  July,  1769,  of  which  date 
is  the  following  minute  and  resolution,  viz:  ''The  trustees  at  this  meeting,  as  well 
as  several  former  ones,  having  taken  into  their  serious  consideration  the  state  of  the 
English  school,  are  nnauimonsly  of  opinion  that,  as. the  said  school  is  far  from  de- 
i'rayiiig  the  expense  at  which  they  now  support  it,  and  not  thinking  that  they  ought 
to  layout  any  great  part  of  the  funds  intru.sted  to  them  on  this  branch  of  education, 
which  can  so  easily  be  procured  at  other  8cho<ds  in  this  city,  have  resolved  that, 
from  and  after  the  17th  of  October  next,  Mr.  Kiuuei"sley's  present  salarj-  do  cease, 
and  that  from  that  time  the  said  school,  if  he  shall  be  inclined  to  keep  it.  shall  be  on 
the  following  footing,  viz,  that  he  shall  have  the  Iree  use  of  the  room  where  he  now 
teaches,  and  also  the  Avhole  tuition  money  arising  from  the  boys  that  may  be  taught 
by  him,  and  that  he  continue  professor  of  English  and  oratory  and,  as  such,  have 
the  house  he  lives  in  rent  free,  in  consideration  of  his  giving  two  afternoons  in  the 
week,  as  heretofore,  for  the  instruction  of  the  students  belonging  to  the  college  in 
public  speaking,  agreeable  to  such  rules  as  are  or  shall  be  made  for  that  purpose  by 
the  trnstees  and  faculty.  It  is  further  ordered  by  this  regulation  that  the  boys  be- 
longing to  his  school  shall  bo  still  considered  as  part  of  the  youth  belonging  to  the 
college  and  under  the  same  general  government  of  the  trustees  and  faculty,  and  such 
of  his  scholars  as  may  attend  the  mathematical  or  other  master  having  a  salary  from 


Vranklin's  self-education.  49 

the  collejre,  for  any  part  of  their  time,  shall  p;iy  proportionately  into  the  fund  of  the 
trustees,  to  be  accounted  for  hy  Mr.  Kinnorsley,  and  deducted  out  of  the  twenty 
jionnds  per  quarter  now  paid  l»y  the  English  scholars," 

The  trnstees  hope  this  regulation  may  be  agreeable  to  Mr,  Kinnersley,  as  it  pro- 
( eeds  entirely  from  the  reasons  set  forth  above,  and  not  from  any  abatement  of  that 
esteem  which  they  have  always  retained  for  him  during  the  whole  course  of  his  serv- 
ices in  college. 

Upon  this  and  some  of  the  preceding  minutes  may  be  observed:  (1)  That  the  Eng- 
lish school  having  been  long  neglected,  the  scholars  were  s<)  diminished  in  number 
as  to  be  far  from  defraying  the  expense  in  supporting  it;  (2)  that  the  instruction 
they  received  there,  instead  of  a  complete  English  education,  which  had  been  prom- 
ised to  the  subscribers  by  the  original  constitutions,  were  only  such  as  might  easily 
be  procured  at  other  schools  in  this  city;  (3)  that  this  unprofitablene.ss  of  the  En- 
glish school,  owing  to  neglect  of  duty  in  the  trustees,  was  now  ottered  as  a  reason 
for  demolishing  it  altogether,  for  it  was  easy  to  see  that,  after  depriving  the  master 
of  his  salary,  he  could  not  longer  attord  to  continue  it ;  (4)  that  if  the  insufficiency  of 
the  tuition  money  in  the  English  school  to  pay  the  expense,  and  the  ease  with  which 
the  scholars  might  obtain  e(inal  instruction  in  other  sclio<tls,  were  good  reasons  for 
depriving  the  master  of  his  salary  and  destroying  that  school,  they  were  equally  good 
for  dismissing  the  I^atin  masters  and  sending  their  scholars  to  other  schools,  since  it 
is  notorious*  that  the  tuition  money  of  the  Latin  school  did  not  pay  much  above  a 
fourth  part  of  the  salaries  of  the  masters,  and  remained  in  full  possession  of  all  the 
college  i^roperty,  without  any  future  expense ;  (n)  that  by  their  refusing  any  longer 
to  support,  instead  of  reforming,  as  they  ought  to  have  done,  the  English  school, 
they  shamefully  broke  through  and  set  at  naught  the  original  constitutions,  for  the 
due  execution  of  which  the  faith  of  the  original  trustees  had  been  solemnly  pledged 
to  the  public,  and  diverted  the  revenues,  proceeding  from  much  of  the  iirst  subscrip- 
tions, to  other  pur^ioses  than  those  which  had  been  promised.  Had  the  Assembly, 
when  disposed  to  disfranchise  the  trifstees,  set  their  foot  upon  this  ground,  their 
proceeding  to  declare  the  forfeiture  would  have  been  more  jugtitiable,  and  it  maybe 
hoped  care  will  now  be  taken  not  to  give  any  future  Assemblj'  the  same  handle. 

It  seems,  however,  that  this  unrighteous  resolve  did  not  pass  the  trustees  without 
a  ({ualm  in  some  of  them,  for  at  the  next  meeting  a  reconsideration  was  moved, 
and  we  find  the  following  mintite  under  the  date  of  August  1, 1769 :  "The  minute  of  liwt 
meeting  relative  to  the  English  school  was  read,  an«l  after  mature  deliberation  and 
reconsidering  the  same,  it  was  voted  to  stand  as  it  is,  provided  it  should  not  be 
found  anyway  repugnant  to  the  Jirst  charter  granted  to  the  Academy,  a  copy  of 
which  was  ordered  to  be  procured  out  of  the  rolls  office." 

One  might  have  thought  it  natural  for  tlie  trustees  to  have  consulted  this  charter 
before  they  took  the  resolution,  and  not  <mly  the  first  charter,  but  the  original  con- 
stitution ;  but,  as  it  seems,  they  hiwi  lost  the  instrument  containing  the  charter, 
and,  though  it  had  b(!cn  ])rinted,  not  one  of  them  was  furnished  with  a  copy  to 
which  he  might  refer,  it  is  no  wonder  they  had  forgot  the  constitutions  made  twenty 
years  before,  to  which  they  did  not  seem  to  have  in  the  least  adverted. 

Probably,  however,  the  trustees  found,  when  they  came  to  examine  original  pa- 
pers, that  they  could  not  easily  get  entirely  rid  of  the  English  school,and  so  con- 
clnded  to  continue.  For  I  tind  in  a  law  for  premiums,  minuted  under  the  date  of 
January  29,  1770,  that  the  English  and  mathematical  school  is  directed  to  be  ex- 
amined the  third  Tuesday  in  .July,  aud  a  premium  book  of  the  value  of  $1  was  to  be 
given  to  him  that  reads  best  and  understands  best  the  English  grammar,  etc.  This 
is  very  well;  but  to  keep  up  the  old  partiality  in  favor  of  the  Latin  school,  the  pre- 
mium to  its  boys  was  to  be  of  the  value  of  $2.  In  the  premiums  for  best  speaking, 
they  were  indeed  put  upon  an  equality. 

After  reading  this  law  for  premiums,  I  looke<i  forward  to  the  third  Tuesday  in 
July  with  some  plojising  expectation  of  their  effect  on  the  examination  required  for 
that  day.  But  I  met  with  only  this  further  record  of  the  inattention  of  the  triAteeA 
1180 ^ 


OU  THK    LNIVEKSIIY    oF    I'KNN^VLVAMA. 

to  their  own  resolutions  and  even  laws,  when  they  contain  anj-thiii<T  favorable  to 
the  English  school.  The  minute  is  only  this:  "July,  August,  >September,  October, 
no  business  done.''' 

On  the  20th  of  November,  however,  I  tind  there  was  an  examination  of  tho  Latin 
school,  and  premiums,  with  pompous  inscriptions,  afterwards  adjudged  to  Latin 
scholars;  but  I  find  no  mention  of  any  to  the  English,  or  that  they  were  even  exam- 
ined. Perhaps  there  might  have  been  none  to  examine,  or  the  school  discontinued; 
for  it  appears  by  a  minute  of  July  21  following,  that  the  provost  was  desired  to  ad- 
vertise for  a  master  able  to  teach  English  gramnuitically,  which  it  seems  was  all  the 
English  master  was  now  re(|uircd  to  teach,  the  other  branches  originally  jiromisod 
being  dropped  entirely. 

In  October,  1772,  Mr.  Kinnersley  resigned  his  professorship,  when  Dr.  I'eters  and 
others  were  appointed  to  consider  on  what  footing  the  English  school  shall  be  put 
for  the  future,  and  that  a  new  master  may  be  thought  of,  and  Mr,  AVilling  to  take 
care  of  the  school  for  the  present  at  £50  per  annum.  It  is  observable  here  that  there 
is  no  mention  of  putting  it  on  its  original  footing,  and  the  salary  is  shrunk  amazingly ; 
but  this  resignation  of  Mr.  Kinnersley  gave  occasion  to  one  testimony  of  the  utility 
of  the  English  professor  to  the  institution,  notwithstanding  all  the  partiality,  neg- 
lect, slights,  discouragements,  and  injustice  that  school  had  suffered.  We  find  it 
in  the  minutes  of  a  special  meeting  on  the  2d  of  February,  1773,  present,  Dr.  Peters, 
Mr.  Chew,  Mr.  I^awrence,  Mr.  AVilling,  Mr.  Trettel,  and  Mr.  Inglis.  and  expressed  in 
these  strong  terms : 

"The  college  suffers  grtatly  since  Mr.  Kinnersley  left  it,  for  want  of  a  person  to 
teach  public  speaking,  so  that  the  present  classes  have  not  those  opportunities  of 
learning  to  declaim  and  speak  which  have  been  of  so  much  use  to  their  predecessors, 
and  have  contributed  greatly  to  raise  the  credit  of  the  institution." 

Here  is  another  confession  that  the  Latinists  were  unequal  to  the  task  of  teaching 
English  eloquence,  though  on  occasion  the  contrary  i.s  still  asserted. 

I  flatter  myself,  gentlemen,  that  it  appears  by  this  time  pretty  clearly  from  our  owi\ 
minutes,  that  the  original  jdau  of  the  English  school  has  been  departed  from;  that 
the  subscribers  to  it  have  been  disajipointed  and  deceived,  and  tlie  faith  of  the  trus- 
tees not  kept  with  them;  that  the  public  had  been  freciucntly  dissatisfied  with  the 
conduct  of  the  trustees,  and  conqdaiued  of  it;  that,  by  the  niggardly  treatment  of 
good  masters,  they  have  been  driven  out  of  the  school,  and  the  scholars  have  followed, 
while  a  great  loss  of  revenue  has  been  sufl'ered  by  the  Aitademy ;  so  that  the  numerous 
schools  now  in  the  city  owe  tlieir  rise  to  our  management,  and  that  we  might  as 
well  have  had  the  best  part  of  the  tuition  juouey  pai<l  into  our  treasury  that  now 
goes  into  private  jtockets;  that  there  has  been  a  constant  iHspositiou  to  depress  the 
English  school  in  favor  of  the  Latin;  and  that  every  means  to  procurea  more  equit- 
able treatment  has  l)eeu  rendered  incftectual;  so  that  no  more  hope  remains  while 
they  continue  to  have  any  connection.  It  is,  tlierefore,  that  wishing  as  much  good 
to  the  Latinists  as  their  system  can  honestly  procure  for  them,  we  now  demand  a 
separation,  and  without  desiring  to  injure  tliem  ;  Itut,  claiming  au  equitable  portion 
of  our  j  oint  stock,  we  wish  to  execute  the  jdan  they  have  so  long  defeated,  and  afford 
the  public  the  means  of  a  complete  English  education. 

I  am  the  only  one  of  the  original  trustees  now  living,  and  I  am  just  rste)>i)ing  into 
the  grave  myself.  I  tnn  afraid  that  some  part  of  the  blame  incurred  by  the  trustees 
may  be  laid  on  me  for  having  too  easily  submitted  to  the  deviations  from  the  con- 
stitution, and  not  opjiosing  them  with  sufficient  zeal  and  earnestness;  though  indeed 
my  absence  in  foreign  countries  at  different  tiuies  for  nearly  thirty  y^ars  te.nde<l 
much  to  weaken  my  influence.  To  nmke  what  amends  are  yet  in  my  power,  I  seize 
this  oiqtortunity,  the  la.st  I  may  possibly  have,  of  bearing  testimony  against  those 
deviations.  I  seem  here  to  be  surrounded  ])y  the  ghosts  of  my  dear  departed  friends, 
beckoning  and  urging  me  to  use  the  only  tcmgue  now  left  us  in  demanding  that  jus- 
tice to  our  grandchildren  that  to  our  children  has  been  denied;  and  I  hope  they 
will  ifbt  be  sent  away  discontented. 


franklin's  self-education.  61 

The  orifjin  of  Latin  and  Greek  schools  amonp;  the  «lifforent  nations  of  Europe  is 
known  to  have  been  this :  That  until  between  three  and  four  hundred  years  past  tliero 
were  no  books  in  any  other  language;  all  the  knowledge  then  contained  in  books 
viz,  the  theology,  the  jurisprudence,  the  physic,  the  art  military,  the  politics,  the 
mathematics  and  mechanics,  the  natural  and  moral  philosophy,  the  logic  and  rhet- 
oric, the  chemistry,  the  pharmacy,  the  aVchitecture,  and  every  other  branch  of 
science,  being  in  those  languages  it  was,  of  cotirse,  necessary  to  learn  them  as  the 
gates  through  which  men  must  pass  to  get  at  that  knowledge. 

The  books  thcp  existing  were  manuscript,  and  these  consequently  so  dear  that 
only  ii  few  wealth j-,  inclined  to  learning,  could  afford  to  purchase  them.  The  com- 
mon people  were  not  even  at  the  pains  of  learuiug  to  read,  because,  after  taking 
that  pains,  they  would  have  nothing  to  read  that  they  could  understand  withont 
learning  the  ancient  languages,  nor  then,  without  money  to  purchase  the  manu- 
scripts; and  so  few  were  the  learned  readers  sixty  years  after  the  invention  of 
printing  that  it  appears  by  letters  still  extant  between  the  printers  in  1499  that 
they  could  not  throughout  Europe  find  j)urchasers  for  more  than  three  hundred 
copies  of  any  ancient  authors.  But  printing  beginning  now  to  make  books  cheap, 
the  readers  increased  so  much  as  to  make  it  worth  while  to  write  and  print  books  in 
the  vulgar  tongue.  At  first  these  were  chiefly  books  of  devotion  and  little  histories. 
fTradually  .several  branches  of  science  began  to  appear  in  the  common  languages, 
and  at  this  day  the  whole  body  of  science,  consisting  not  only  of  trnnslatidns  from 
all  the  valuable  ancients,  but  of  all  the  new  modern  discoveries,  is  to  be  met  with 
in  tliose  languages,  so  that  learning  the  .ancient  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  knowl- 
edge is  become  absolutely  unnecessary. 

But  there  is  in  mankind  an  unaccountable  prejudice  in  favor  of  ancient  customs 
and  habitudes,  which  inclines  to  a  continuance  of  them  after  the  circumstances 
which  formerly  made  them  useful  cease  to  exist.  A  multitude  of  instances  might 
be  given,  but  it  may  sufiBie  to  mention  one.  Hats  were  once  thought  a  useful  part 
of  dress;  they  kept  the  head  warm  and  screened  it  from  the  violent  impression  of 
the  sun's  ray.s,  and  from  the  rain,  snow,  hail,  etc.,  though,  by  the  way,  tbis  was  not 
the  more  ancient  opinion  or  practice.  From  among  all  the  remains  of  anti<|uity,  the 
bustoes,  statues,  basso-rilievos,  medals,  etc.,  which  are  infinite,  there  is  no  represen- 
tation of  the  human  figure  with  a  hat  or  cap  on,  nor  any  covering  for  the  head,  un- 
less it  be  the  heail  of  a  soldier,  who  has  a  helmet;  but  that  is  evidently  not  a  part  of 
dress  for  health,  but  as  a  protection  from  the  strokes  of  a  weapon. 

At  what  time  hats  were  first  introduced  we  know  not,  but  in  the  last  century 
they  were  universally  worn  throughout  Europe.  Gradu.ally,  however,  as  the  wear- 
ing of  wigs  and  hair  nicely  dressed  prevailed,  the  putting  on  of  hats  wa«  disused 
by  genteel  people,  lest  the  curious  arrangements  of  the  curls  aud  powdering  should 
be  disordered,  and  umbrellas  began  to  8upi)ly  their  place;  yet  still  our  considering 
the  hat  as  a  part  of  tlie  dress  continues  so  far  to  prevail  that  a  man  of  fashion  is  not 
thought  dressed  withont  having  one,  or  something  like  one,  about  him  which  he 
carried  under  his  arm.  So  that  there  are  a  multitude  of  the^politer  people  in  all  the 
courts  in  capital  cities  of  Europe  who  have  never,  nor  their  fathers  before  them, 
worn  a  hat  otherwise  than  as  a  chapcaa  bras,  though  the  utility  of  such  a  mode  of 
wearing  it  is  by  no  means  jjppareut,  and  it  is  attended  not  only  with  some  expen.se 
but  with  a  degree  of  constant  trouble. 

The  still  prevailing  custom  of  having  schools  for  teaching  generally  our  children 
in  these  days  the  Latin  and  Greek  languagei  I  consider  therefore  in  no  other  light 
than  as  the  chapeati  bras  of  modern  literature. 

Thus  the  time  spent  in  that  study  might,  it  seems,  be  much  better  employed  in 
the  education  for  such  a  country  as  ours;  and  this  wan  indeed  the  opinion  of  most 
the  original  trustee^, 


52  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

HINTS  FOR  CONSIDERATION  RESPECTING  THE  ORPHAN  SCHOOLHOUSES 

IN  PHILADELPHIA. 

Charitable  institutions,  however  originally  well  intended  and  well  executed  at 
first,  for  many  years  are  subject  to  be  in  a  courst^  of  time  corrupted,  mismanaged, 
and  their  funds  misapplied  or  perverted  to  private  purposes.  Would  it  not  be  well  to 
guard  against  these  by  prudent  regulations  respecting  the  choice  of  managers  and 
establishing  the  power  of  inspecting  their  conduct  in  some  permanent  body,  as  the 
monthly  or  quarterly  meeting? 

Would  it  not  be  more  respectable  for  the  institution  if  the  appearance  of  making 
a  profit  of  thr.  labor  of  orphans  were  avoided  and  the  dependence  for  funds  to  be 
wholly  on  charitable  contributions?  If  this  should  be  concluded,  then  it  maybe 
proper  to  open  an  account  with  each  orphan  on  admission,  the  orphans  to  have 
credit  for  any  subsistence  brought  in  with  them,  and  for  the  profit  made  of  it  and 
of  their  labor,  and  made  debtors  for  their  maintenance  and  education  ;  and  at  their 
discbarge  on  coming  of  ;ige  to  be  paid  the  balance,  if  any,  in  their  favor,  or  remain 
debtors  for  the  balance,  if  against  them,  which  they  may  be  exhorted  to  pay,  if  ever 
able,  but  not  to  be  compelled.  Such  as  receive  a  balance  may  be  exhorted  to  give 
back  a  part  in  charity  to  the  institution  that  has  taken  such  kind  care  of  them,  or 
at  least  to  remember  it  faAorably,  if  hereafter  God  should  bless  them  with  ability, 
either  in  benefaction  while  living,  or  a  legacy  on  decease.  The  orphans,  when  dis- 
charged, to  receive,  besides  decent  clothing  and  some  money,  a  certificate  of  their 
good  behavior,  if  such  it  has  been,  as  a  recommendation;  and  the  managers  of  the 
institution  should  still  consider  them  as  their  children,  so  far  as  to  counsel  them  in 
their  afl'airs,  encourage  and  promote  them  in  their  business,  watch  over  and  kindly 
admonish  theui  when  in  danger  of  misconduct. 

At  33  Franklin  is  continuing  his  self-education  by  his  researches  in 
natural  history.  In  his  Proposals  for  the  Education  of  Youth,  he  ad- 
vises that  "  now  and  then  excursions  be  made  to  the  neighboring  plan- 
tations of  the  best  farmers,  their  methods  observed  and  reasoned  upon 
for  the  information  of  youth;"  "  that  natural  history  will  also  afford 
opportunities  of  introducing  many  observations,"  etc. 

Franklin  himself  was  a  great  observer,  and  like  all  great  men  who 
have  advanced  science,  he  made  his  observations  with  the  assistance  of 
very  simple  and  inexi)ensive  instruments.  There  is  in  the  possession 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  some 
portions  of  his  electrical  apparatus,  the  simplicity  of  which  surprises 
the  student  in  the  modern  electrical  laboratory  and  leads  him  almost  to 
underrate  the  services  of  Franklin  to  science.  Franklin's  self-education 
taught  him  to  make  use  of  the  phenomena  in  nature  as  he  made  use  of 
the  labors  of  other  men,  to  swell  the  mass  of  his  own  knowledge. 

He  illustrates  this  practical  method  of  scientific  investigation  in  his 
account  of  the  ants,  told  by  Prof.  Kalni;  how  he  put  an  earthen 
pot  filled  with  molasses  into  a  closet,  into  which  the  ants  soon  found 
their  way  and  began  devouring  the  molasses.  Franklin,  observing 
this,  removed  the  pot  and  suspended  it  by  a  string  to  a  nail  in  the  ceil 
ing  of  the  room,  leaving  a  single  ant  in  tlie  pot.  When  its  hunger  wf|,s 
satisfied  it  tried  to  go  home,  and  after  many  efforts  it  found  its  way  up 
the  string,  across  the  ceiling  to  the  wall,  and  to  th<!  ground,  and  by 
half  an  hour  Franklin  saw  a  swarm  of  ants  issuing  from  the  ground, 


FfeANkLlN's    SELF-EDUCATION.  53 

climbing  the  wall,  crossing  the  ceiling,  creei)ing  down  the  string,  and 
eating  the  molasses,  one  line  coming  and  one  line  going,  until  the  mo- 
lasses was  all  eaten  up.  This  little  story,  which  some  of  us  remember 
in  our  schoolbooks,  illustrates  Franklin's  methods  of  investigating  tlie 
habits  of  insects,  as  simple  as  his  experiment  with  the  kite.  In  his 
scheme  for  education  he  makes  no  provision  for  elaborate  pliysical  ap- 
paratus, there  is  no  reference  to  laboratories,  and  it  seems  as  if  his 
ideas  were  deficient  in  some  of  the  essentials  of  education  in  modern 
times.  This  hasty  conclusion  is  corrected  when  we  reflect  on  the  educa- 
tion which  Franklin  himself  received  and  was  making  all  through  lifej 
he  knew  nothing  of  elaborate  physical  apparatus;  nature  was  his  labo- 
ratory, observation  and  experience  were  his  teachers,  and  he  relied 
upon  these  as  the  best  means  for  the  education  of  others.  'Ambition 
stimulated  him  to  gain  knowledge  and  He  concluded  that  it  would  stim- 
ulate others. 

It  has  sometimes  been  asked  whether  the  elaborate  apparatus  in 
modern  education  does  not  weigh  heavily  in  the  hands  of  youth,  and 
whether  many  of  them  are  able  to  see  the  principles  on  account  of  the 
apparatus. 

The  utilitarian  ends  which  Franklin  proposed  are  generally  traceable 
to  his  own  experience.  His  loss  from  the  bad  bookkeeping  of  the  Deputy 
Postmaster-General  of  the  Colonies  led  him  to  "mention  it  as  a  lesson 
to  those  young  men  who  may  be  employed  in  managing  affiiirs  for  others 
that  they  should  always  render  accounts  and  make  remittances  with 
great  clearness  and  punctuality.  The  character  of  observing  such  a 
conduct  is  the  most  powerful  of  recommendations  to  new  employments 
and  increase  of  business."  A  word  frequently  used  by  Franklin  is 
"business."  It  should  be  remembered  that  he  viewed  education  from 
the  vantage  ground  of  the  man  of  affairs  who  had  never  received  the 
conventional  training  of  the  schools.  He  saw  in  industry  and  business 
the  chief  occupation  of  the  mass  of  the  people.  His  idea  of  schools  was 
that  they  should  contribute  to  the  advantage  of  this  industry  and  this 
business.'  He  would  make  the  transitions  from  school  life  to  the  life 
of  business  easy  and  natural,  and  his  chief  defense  for  his  plan  for  an 
English  sehool  was  that  there  such  a  foundation  of  knowledge  and 
ability  would  be  laid  as  properly  improved  would  qualify  boys  to  "pass 
through  and  execute  the  several  offices  of  civil  life  with  advantage  and 
reputation  to  themselves  and  country ."^  It  is  not  to  be  understood 
that  by  the  offices  of  civil  life  Franklin  meant  merely  political  oflBces. 
He  uses  the  term  "civil  life"  comprehensively,  meaning  the  several 
occupations  of  the  citizen.  Had  he  meant  political  preferment,  he  would 
have  used  the  phrase  "  public  affairs." 

'The  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
■was  founded  on  this  idea.  (See  the  special  chapter  on  that  school,  and  also  Mr. 
Wharton's  plan  infra. 

^The  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  founded  with  this  idea  as  a  basis.    (See  account  of  it,  infra.) 


54  THE   UNIVERStTV   OP  PENKSYLVANIA. 

Franklin  conceived  of  the  school  as  a  foundation  for  improvement  in 
the  pupil  by  the  pupil  himself.  His  owu  life  was  a  continuous  self- 
education;  practical  wisdom  was  his  aim.  We  lind  nowhere  in  his 
writings  that  modern  phrase  "tiie  completion  of  educatioin"  he  makes 
no  provision  for  any  such  limitation  or  standstill. 

Franklin  was  a  native  of  Boston,  and  he  never  forgot  his  native  town. 
Once  in  ten  years  he  revisited  that  beloved  spot  and  refreshed  himself 
with  the  renewal  of  ancient  acquaintance.  He  frequently  refers  to  his 
New  England  training,  and  it  usually  stood  him  in  good  stead.  He 
says: 

I  had,  on  the  Whole,  abiluttant  I'easoii  to  be  satisfied  with  my  being  established  iu 
Pennsylvania.  There  were,  howevei-,  two  things  that  I  regretted,  there  being  no 
provision  for  defense  nor  for  the  complete  education  of  youth,  no  militia,  nor  any 
college.  I  therel'ore,  in  1743,  drew  u.p  a  proposal  for  establishing  an  Academy,'  and 
at  that  time  thinking  the  Rev.  Mr.  Peters,  who  was  at  that  time  out  of  employ,  a  lit 
person  to  superintend  such  an  institution,  I  communicated  the  project  to  him,  but 
he  having  more  ])rofitable  views  iu  the  service  of  the  proprietors,  which  succeeded, 
declined  the  undertaking,  and  not  knowing  another  at  that  time  suitable  for  such  a 
trust,  I  let  the  scheme  lie  awhile  dormant.  I  wiccceeded  better  the  next  year,  1744, 
in  proposing  and  establishing  a  Plulosophical  Society,  * 

'See  the  proposals,  p.  58  et  'acq. ;  also  the  early  charters  of  the  University. 

*A  PU0P08AI.  FOR  PKOMOTING  V8EFU1-  KNOWLElHiK  AMONG  THE  BRITISH  PLANTATIONS 

IN  AMERICA. 

[This  paper  appears  to  coDtaiu  the  first  suggeetiou,  in  any  public  forui,  for  au  Americau  Philosophical 

Society.] 

Philadelphia,  May  14, 174S. 

The  English  are  possessed  of  a  long  tract  of  continent,  from  Nova  Scotia  to  Geor- 
gia, extending  north  and  south  through  different  cliaiates,  having  different  soils, 
producing  different  plants,  mines,  and  minerals,  and  capable  of  different  improve- 
ments, manufactures,  etc. 

The  first  drudgery  of  settling  new  colonies,  which  contines  the  attention  of  people 
to  mere  necessaries,  is  now  pretty  well  over;  and  there  are  many  in  every  province 
iu  circumstauceb  that  set  them  at  ease,  and  afford  leisure  to  cultivate  the  finer  arts 
and  improve  the  common  stock  of  knowledge.  To  such  of  these  who  are  men  of 
speculation  many  hints  must  from  time  to  time  arise,  many  observations  occur, 
which,  if  well  examined,  pursued,  and  improved,  might  produce  discoveries  to  the 
advantage  of  jjome  or  all  of  the  British  plantations  or  to  the  benefit  of  mankind  in 
geueral.  •■ 

But  as  from  the  extent  of  the  country  such  persons  are  widely  separated,  and 
selcb^m  can  see  and  converse  or  be  acqimiuted  witli  each  other,  so  that  many  useful 
particulars  remain  uncommunicated,  die  Avith  the  discoverers,  and  are  lost  to  man- 
kind; it  is,  to  remedy  this  inconvenience  for  the  future  jiroposed — 

That  one  society  be  formed  of  virtuosi  or  ingenious  men  residing  in  the  several 
colonies,  to  be  called  The  American  Philosophical  Society,  w  ho  are  to  maintain  a 
constant  correspondence. 

That  Philadelphia,  being  the  city  nearest  the  center  of  the  continent  colonies, 
communicating  witli  all  of  them  northward  and  southward  by  post,  and  with  all  the 
islands  by  sea,  and  having  the  advantage  of  a  good,  growing  library,  be  the  center 
of  the  Society. 

That  at  Philadelphia  there  be  always  at  least  seven  members,  viz,  a  physician,  a 
botanist,  a  mathematician,  a  chemist,  a  mechanician,  a  geographer,  and  a  geueral 
natural  philosopher,  besides  a  president,  treasurer,  and  secretary. 

That  these  members  meet  once  a  month  or  oftener,  at  their  own  expense,  to  com- 
municate to  each  other  their  observations  and  experiments;  to  receive,  read,  and 


franklin's  self-education.  55 

Meanwhile  the  prospects  of  war  delayed  acadeinie  matters.  His 
activity  in  the  pnblic  defense  having  pleased  the  governor  and  council, 
he  remarks  with  evident  pride: 

They  took  me  into  confidence,  and  I  was  consulted  by  them  in  every  measure, 
where  their  concurrence  was  thought  useful  to  the  association.    Failing  to  obtain 

consider  such  letters,  comuiunicatious,  or  <|neries  as  shall  be  sent  from  distant 
members;  to  direct  the  disb\irsiiig  of  copies  of  such  couununications  as  are  valuable 
to  other  distant  members,  in  order  to  procure  their  sentiments  thereupon. 

That  the  subjects  of  the  correspondence  be :  All  new-discovered  j)lauts,  herbs,  trees, 
roots,  their  virtues,  uses,  etc. ;  methods  of  propagating  them  and  making  such  as 
.are  useful,  but  particular  to  some  plantations,  more  general;  improvements  of  vege- 
table juices,  as  ciders,  wines,  etc.;  new  methods  of  curing  or  preventing  diseases ; 
ail  new-discovered  fossils  in  different  countries,  as  mines,  minerals,  and  quarries; 
new  and  useful  improvements  in  any  branch  of  mathematics;  new  discoveries  in 
chemistry,  such  as  improvements  in  distillation,  brewing,  and  assaying  of  ores;  new 
mechanical  inventions  for  saving  labor,  as  mills  and  carriages,  and  for  raising  and 
conveying  of  water,  draining  of  meadows,  etc. ;  all  new  arts,  trades,  and  manufac- 
tures that  may  be  proposed  or  thought  of;  surveys,  maps,  and  charts  of  particular 
parts  of  the  seacoasts  or  inland  countries;  course  and  junction  of  rivers  and  grerit 
r<»ad8,  situation  of  lakes  and  mountains,  nature  of  the  soil  and  productions;  new 
methods  of  improving  the  l)reed  of  useful  animals;  introducing  other  sorts  from 
foreign  coustFJ^s;  new  improvements  in  planting,  gardening,  and  clearing  land; 
»3idiil]  pliiUwophical  experiments  that' let  light  into  the  nature  of  things,  tend  to 
aucrease  the  power  of  luaj}  over  and  multiply  the  conveniences  or  pleasures  of  life. 

I^hat  a  correspondence  alrea4y  begun  by  some  intended  members  shall  be  kept  up 
Ijy  this  Society  with  the  Royal  Society  of  London  and  with  the  Dublin  Society. 

That  evei'y  member  shall  have  abstracts  sent  him  quarterly  of  everything  valuable 
'communicated  to  the  Society's  secretary  at  Philadelphia,  free  of  all  charge,  except 
the  yearly  payment  hereafter  mentioned. 

That,  by  permission  of  the  Postmaster-General,  sucli  communications  pass  between 
the  secretary  of  the  Society  and  the  members,  postage  free. 

That,  for  defraying  the  expense  of  such  experiments  as  the  Society  shall  judge 
•proper  to  cause  to  be  made,  and  other  contingent  charges  for  the  comm<m  good, 
'every  member  send  a  piece  of  eight  per  annum  to  the  treasurer,  at  Philadelphia,  to 
ilbrm  a  common  stock,  to  be  disbursed  by  order  of  the  President,  with  the  consent  of 
tlie  majority  of  the  members  that  can  ccmveniently  be  consulted  thereupon,  to  such 
persons  and  places  where  and  by  whom  the  experiments  are  t<j  be  made,  and  other- 
■wise  as  there  shall  be  occasion,  of  which  disbursements  an  exact  account  shall  be 
kept  and  communicated  yearly  to  every  member. 

That,  at  the  first  meetings  of  the  members  at  Philadelphia,  such  rules  be  formed 
for  regulating  their  meetings  and  transactions  for  the  general  benefit  as  shall  be 
convenient  and  necessary,  to  be  afterwards  changetl  and  improved  as  there  shall  be 
occasion,  wherein  due  regard  is  to  be  had  to  the  advice  of  distant  members. 

That,  at  the'end  of  every  year,  collections  shall  be  made  and  iirinted  of  such  ex- 
periments, discoveries,  and  improvements  as  may  be  thought  of  public  advantage, 
and  that  every  member  have  a  copy  sent  him. 

That  the  business  and  duty  of  the  .secretary  be  to  receive  all  letters  inUinded  for 
the  Society  and  lay  them  before  the  president  and  members  at  their  meetings;  to 
abstract,  correct,  and  methodize  such  papers  as  requireit  and  as  he  shall  l>e directed 
to  do  by  the  president,  after  they  have  been  considered,  debated,  and  digested  in 
the  Society;  to  enter  copies  thereof  in  the  Society's  books,  and  make  out  copies  for 
distant  members;  to  answer  their  Icttei-s  by  direction  of  the  president,  and  keep 
records  of  all  material  transactions  of  the  Society. 

Benjamin  P'ranklin,  the  writer  of  this  proposal,  offers  himself  to  serve  the  Society 
as  their  secretary  till  they  shall  be  provided  with  one  more  capable. 


56  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

the  cooperation  of  the  midtlle  colonies,  and  calling  in  the  aid  of  religion,  I  proposed 
to  them  the  ]iruclaiiiiiug  a  fast  to  promote  reformation,  and  implore  the  blessing  of 
Heaven  on  our  undertaking.  They  embraced  the  motion ;  but,  as  it  was  the  first  fast 
ever  thought  of  in  the  province,  the  8e<!retary  had  no  precedent  from  which  to  draw 
the  proclamation.  My  education  in  New  England,  where  a  fast  is  proclaimed  every 
year,  was  here  of  some  advantage.  I  drew  it  in  the  accustomed  style;  it  was  trans- 
lated into  German.  ])rinted  in  both  languages,  and  divulged  through  the  province. 
This  gave  the  clergy  of  the  difterent  sects  an  oi)]»ortuuity  of  intluenciug  their  con- 
gregations to  join  iu  the  association,  and  it  wouhl  probably  have  been  general  among 
all  but  Quakei"s  if  peace  had  not  soon  intervened. 

Franklin's  confession  tbat  he  jn'oposed  a  fast  because  of  tlie  obvious 
advantages  to  be  derived  from  it  is  a  comment  on  his  theory  of  educa- 
tion. Ha<i  any  other  equal  means  of  winning  public  favor  been  sug- 
gested by  his  education  in  J^ew  England,  he  would  have  weighed  the 
relative  advantages  and  given  his  decision  accordingly,  for  he  tells  us 
that  he  was  accustomed,  when  considering  two  courses  of  action,  to  set 
down  in  columns  the  pros  and  the  cons  of  the  question.'  Franklin's 
motion  years  later  for  prayers  iu  Congress  was  doubtless  made  to  secure 
the  advantage  which  he  supposed  would  be  attached  to  them  in  the 
public  mind. 

Peace  being  concludg^  [he  says],  and  the  association  business  therefore  at  an  end, 
I  turned  my  thoughts  again  to  the  affair  of  establishing  an  academy.  The  lirst  step 
I  took  was  to  associate  in  the  design  a  number  of  active  friends,  of  whom  the  Junto 
furnished  a  good  part;  the  next  was  to  write  and  ])ublish  a  pamphlet,  entitled, 
"  Proposals  relating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania."  This  I  distributed 
among  the  principal  inhabitants  gratis,  and  as  soon  as  I  could  suppose  their  minds 
a  little  prepared  by  the  perusal  of  it,  I  set  on  foot  a  subscription  for  opening  and 
supporting  an  academy ;  it  was  to  be  paid  in  quotas  yearly  for  five  years.  By  so 
dividing  it  I  Judged  the  subscription  might  be  larger,  and  I  believe  it  was  so, 
amounting  to  no  less,  if  J  remember  right,  than  5,000  pounds. 

In  the  introduction  to  these  proposals  I  stated  their  publication,  not  as  an  act  of 
mine,  but  of  aome  ptiblick-spirited  gentlemeti,  avoiding  as  much  as  I  could,  according 
to  my  usual  rule,  the  presenting  myself  to  the  public  as  the  author  of  any  scheme 
for  their  benefit. 

The  subscribers,  to  carry  the  project  into  immediate  execution,  chose  out  of  their 
number  twenty-four  trustees  and  appointed  Mr.  Francis,  then  attorney-general,  and 
myself  to  draw  np  constitutions  for  the"  government  of  the  academy,  which  being 
done  and  signed  a  house  was  hired,  masters  engaged,  and  the  schools  opened,  1 
think,  in  ^he  same  year,  1749.  ' 

The  scholars  increasing  fast,  the  house  was  soon  found  too  small,  and  we  were 
looking  out  for  a  piece  of  ground  properly  situated,  with  intention  to  build,  when 
Providence  threw  into  our  way  a  large  house  ready  l»uilt  which,  with  a  few  altera- 
tions, might  well  serve  our  purpose.  This  was  the  building  before  mentioned,  erected 
by  the  hearers  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  was  obtained  for  us  in  the  following  manner: 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  contribntions  to  this  building,  being  made  by  the  people 
of  different  sects,  care  was  taken  in  the  uomiuation  of  trustees,  iu  whom  the  building 
and  ground  were  to  be  vested,  that  a  predominancy  should  not  bo  given  to  any  sect 
lest  in  time  tbat  predominancy  migiit  be  a  means  of  ajjpropriating  the  whole  to  the 
use  of  such  sect,  contrary  to  the  original  intention.     It  was,  therefore,  that  one  of 


'For  a  discnosion  of  this  snbject  see  Judge  Pennypacker's  :-hapter  on  The  Univer- 
aity  in  its  Relations  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  infra. 


franklin's  self-education.  57 

each  sect  was  appointed,  viz,  one  ChurcLi-<»f-Kn<;lau«l  niau,  one  Presbyterian,  one 
Kaptist,  one  Moravian,  etc. ;  tliose  in  case  of  vacancy  by  death  wer<!  to  till  it  by 
election  from  among  the  coutribntors.  The  Moravian  happened  not  to  please  his 
colleagnes,  aad  on  his  death  they  resolved  to  have  no  other  of  that  sect.  The  diffi- 
culty then  was  how  to  avoid  liavinjj  two  of  some  other  sect  by  means  of  the  new 
choice. 

Several  persons  were  named,  and  for  that  reason  not  agreed  to.  At  length  one 
mentioned  me  with  the  observation  that  1  was  merely  an  honest  man,  and  of  no  sect 
at  all,  which  prevailed  with  them  to  choose  me.  The  enthusiasm  which  existed 
when  the  house  was  built  had  long  since  abated,  and  its  trustees  had  not  been  able 
to  procure  fresh  contributions  for  paying  the  gionnd  rent  and  ilischarging  some 
other  debts  the  building  had  occasioned,  which  embarrassed  them  greatly.  Being 
now  a  member  of  both  sets  of  trustees,  tliat  for  the  building  and  that  for  the  aca«lemy, 
I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  negotiating  with  both,  and  brought  them  finally  to  an 
agreement,  by  which  the  trustees  for  the  building  were  to  cede  it  to  those  of  the 
academy,  the  latter  nndertaking  to  discharge  the  debt,  to  keep  forever  open  in  the 
building  a  large  hall  for  occasional  preachers  according  to  the  original  intention  and 
maintain  a  tree  school  for  the  instruction  of  poor  children.  Writings  were  ac- 
cordingly drawn  and  on  paying  the  debts,  the  trustees  of  the  aciidemy  were  put  into 
possession  of  the  premi.ses;  and  by  dividing  the  great  and  lofty  hall  into  stories,  and 
different  rooms  above  and  below  for  the  several  schools,  and  purchasing  some  addi- 
tional gronnd  the  whole  was  soon  made  fit  for  our  purpose,  and  the  scholars  re- 
moved into  the  building.  *  »  *  The  trustees  of  the  academy  after  awhile  were 
incorporated  by  a  charter  from  the  governor;  their  funds  were  increased  by  contri- 
butions in  Britain  and  grants  of  land  from  the  proprietaries,  to  which  the  Assembly 
has  since  made  considerable  addition;  and  thus  we  established  the  present  Univer- 
versity  of  Philadelphia.'  I  have  been  continued  one  of  its  trustees  from  the  begin- 
ning, now  nearly  forty  years,  and  have  had  the  very  great  pleasure  of  seeing  a  num- 
bei  of  tho  youth  who  have  received  their  education  in  it  distinguished  by  their  im- 
proved abilities,  serviceable  in  public  stations,  and  ornaments  to  their  country.* 

'  This  institution  became  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1779.  (See  Act  of  Nov. 
27,  1779,  erecting  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  p.  83.) 

^The  narrative  is  broken  here  in  order  to  present  the  text  of  important  documents, 
to  several  of  which  P^anklin  was  a  party, — in  the  early  history  of  the  University;  it 
is  resumed  on  page  95. 


58~  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 


I. 

PROPOSALS     liLi.ATI.NCi     Tu     THE   EDUCATION     UF     YOl  TH      l!\     I'KAiV- 

SYLVANIA. 

ADVKHTISKMKNT   TO    THK    UKADKi:.. 

It  has  long  been  regretted  as  a  misfortune  to  the  youth  of  iMs  pioviuce,  that  w  ■ 
have  no  Academy,  in  whifh  they  might  receive  the  accompl]shm«uts  of  a  rcgiilai 
education.  The  following  paper  of  hints  towards  fonning  a  jilau  for  that  piu^poiii', 
is  so  far  approved  by  some  public-spirited  gentlemen,  to  whom  it  has  Ijeeu  privately 
communicated,  that  they  have  directed  a  number  of  copies  to  be  made  by  the  press, 
and  properly  distributed,  in  order  to  obtain  the  sentiments  and  advice  of  men  of 
learning,  understanding,  and  experience  in  these  matters;  and  have  determined  to 
use  their  interest  and  best  endeavors  to  have  the  scheme,  when  completed,  carried 
gradually  into  execution  ;  in  which  they  have  reason  to  believe  they  shall  have  the 
heart  J' concurrence  and  assistance  of  many,  who  are  well-wishers  to  their  country. 
Those,  who  incline  to  favor  the  design  with  their  advice,  either  as  to  the  parts  of 
learning  to  be  taught,  the  order  of  study,  the  method  of  teaching,  the  economy  of 
the  school,  or  any  other  matter  of  importance  to  the  success  of  the  undertaking,  are 
desired  to  coiunuinicate  their  sentiments  as  soon  as  may  be,  by  letter,  directed  to 
B.  Franklin,  Printer,  iu  Philadelphia. 

The  good  education  of  youth  has  been  esteemed  by  wise  men  iu  all 
ages,  an  the  surest  foundation  of  the  happiness  both  of  private  families 
and  of  commonwealths.  Almost  all  governments  have  therefore  made 
it  a  principal  object  of  their  attention,  to  establish  and  endow  with 
proper  revenues  such  seminaries  of  learning,  as  might  .supply  the  suc- 
ceeding age  with  men  qualified  to  serve  the  public  with  honor  to  them- 
selves and  to  their  country. 

Many  of  the  first  settlers  of  these  provinces  were  men  wlio  had  re- 
ceived a  good  education  in  Europe;  and  to  their  wisdom  and  good  man- 
agement we  owe  m\u;h  of  our  present  prosi^erity.  But  their  hands  were 
full,  and  they  could  not  do  all  things.  The  present  race  are  not  thought' 
to  be  generally  of  eciual  ability;  for,  though  the  Ameri<;an  youth  are 
allowed  not  to  want  capacity,  yet  the  best  capacities  require  cultiva- 
tion; it  Being  truly  with  them,  as  with  the  best  ground,  which,  unles- 
well  tilled  and  sowed  with  profitable  .seed,  produces  only  ranker  weeds. 

That  we  may  obtain  the  advantages  arising  from  an  increase  of  knowl- 
edge, and  prevent,  as  much  as  may  be,  the  mischievous  consequence- 
that  would  attend  a  general  ignorance  among  u.s,  the  following  hints 
are  offered  towards  forming  a  plan  for  the  education  of  the  youth  of 
Pennsylvania,  viz : 

It  is  j>roposed, 

That  some  jjersons  of  leisure  and  public  spirit  apply  for  a  charter,  by 


impoktant  documents  relating  to  the  university.     59 

which  they  may  be  incorporated,  with  jwwer  to  erect  au  Academy  for 

tiie  education  of  youth,  to  goA^ern  the  same,  provide  masters,  make  rules, 
receive  donations,  jmrchase  hinds,  and  to  a<ld  to  tlieir  number,  from 
time  to  time,  sueli  other  persons  as  they  shall  Judge  suitable. 

That  the  members  of  the  corporation  make  it  their  jdeasure,  and  in 
some  degree  their  business,  to  visit  the  Academy  often,  encourage  and 
countenance  the  youth,  countenance  and  avSsist  the  masters,  and  by  all 
means  in  their  power  advance  the  usefulness  and  reputation  of  the 
design;  that  they  look  on  the  students  as  in  some  sort  their  children, 
treat  them  with  familiarity  and  aft'ection,  aijd  when  they  have  behaved 
well,  and  gone  through  their  studies,  and  are  to  enter  the  world,  zeal- 
ously unite,  and  uiake  all  the  interest  that  can  be  made  to  establish 
them,  whether  in  business,  oflflces,  marriages,  or  any  other  thing  for 
their  advantage,  preferably  to  all  other  persons  whatsoever,  even  of 
6(1  ual  merit. 

And  if  men  may,  and  frequently  do,  catch  such  a  taste  for  cidtivat- 
ing  flowers,  for  planting,  grafting,  inoculating,  and  the  like,  as  to 
despise  all  other  anmsements  for  their  sake,  why  may  not  we  expect 
they  should  acquire  a  relish  for  that  more  u.seful  cultiue  of  young 
miflds.    Thomson  says: 

'Tis  joy  to  see  the  human  Itlossoms  blow, 
When  inlaut  reason  grows  apace,  au<l  calls. 
For  the  kind  hand  of  an  assiduous  care. 
Delightful  task  !  to  rear  the  tender  thought. 
To  teach  the  young  idea  how  to  shoot; 
To  pour  the  fresh  instruction  o'er  the  mind. 
To  breathe  the  enlivening  spirit,  and  to  fix 
The  generous  purpose  in  the  glowing  breast. 

That  a  house  bo  provided  for  the  Academy,  if  nat  in  the  to\ni,  not 
many  miles  from  it;  the  situation  high  and  dry,  and,  if  it  may  be,  not 
far  from  a  river,  having  a  garden,  orchard,  meadow,  and  a  field  or  two. 

That  the  house  be  furnished  with  a  library  if  in  the  country,  (if  in 
the  town,  the  town  libraries  may  serve),  with  maps  of  all  countries, 
globes,  some  mathematical  instruments,  an  ai)pjuatus  for  experiments 
in  natural  philosophy,  and  for  mechanics;  ])rints,  of  all  kinds,  pros- 
pects, buildings,  and  machines. 

That  the  Rector  be  a  man  of  good  understanding,  good  morals,  dili- 
gent and  patient,  learned  in  the  languages  and  sciences,  and  a  correct, 
pure  speaker  and  writer  of  the  English  tongue;  to  have  such  tutors 
under  him  as  shall  be  necessary. 

That  the  boarding  scholars  diet  together,  plainly,  temi)erately,  and 
frugally. 

That  to  keep  them  in  health,  and  to  strengthen  and  render  active 
their  bodies,  they  be  frequently  exercised  in  ninning,  leaping,  wrestling 
and  swimming. 

That  they  have  peculiar  habits  to  distinguish  them  from  other  youth^ 


60  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

if  the  Academy  be  in  or  neai'  the  town ;  for  this,  among:  other  reasons, 
that  their  behavior  may  be  the  better  observed. 

As  to  their  studies,  it  would  be  well  if  they  could  be  taught  every 
thing  that  is  usefnl,  and  every  thing  that  is  ornamental.  But  art  is 
long,  and  their  time  is  short.  It  is  therefore  proposed,  that  they  learn 
those  things  that  are  likely  to  be  most  useful  and  most  ornamental;  re- 
gard being  had  to  the  several  jirofessions  for  which  they  are  intended. 

All  should  be  taught  to  write  a  fair  hand,  and  swift,  as  that  is  useful 
to  all.  And  with  it  may  be  learned  something  of  drawing,  by  imitation 
of  prints,  and  some  of  the  first  principles  of  perspective. 

Arithmetic,  accounts,  and  some  of  the  first  principles  of  geometry  and 
astronomy. 

The  English  language  might  be  taught  by  grammar;  in  which  some 
of  our  best  writers,  as  Tillotson,  Addison,  Poi)e,  Algernon,  Sidney, 
Cato's  Letters,  «S:c.,  should  be  classics;  the  styles  principally  to  be  cul- 
tivated being  the  clear  and  the  concise.  Eeading  should  also  be 
taught,  and  pronouncing  properly,  distinctly,  emphatically;  not  with  an 
even  tone,  which  underdoes,  nor  a  theatrical,  which  over-does  nature. 

To  form  their  style,  they  should  be  put  on  writing  letters  to  each  other, 
making  abstracts  of  what  they  read,  or  writing  the  same  things  in  their 
own  words;  telling  or  writing  stories  lately  read,  in  tbeir  own  expres- 
sions. All  to  be  revised  and  corrected  by  the  tutor,  who  should  give 
his  reasons,  and  explain  the  force  and  import  of  words. 

To  form  their  pronunciations,  they  may  be  put  on  making  declama- 
tions, repeating  speeches,  and  delivering  orations;  the  tutor  assisting 
at  the  rehearsals,  teaching,  advising,  and  correcting  their  accent. 

But  If  History  be  made  a  constant  part  of  their  reading,  such  as 
the  translation  of  the  Greek  and  Koman  historians,  and  the  modern 
histories  of  ancient  Greece  and  Rome,  may  not  almost  all  kinds  of  use- 
ful knowledge  be  that  way  introduced  to  advantage,  and  with  pleasure 
to  the  student  ?    As 

Geography,  by  reading  with  maps,  and  being  required  to  pointout  the 
places  where  the  greatest  actions  were  done,  to  give  their  old  and  new 
names,  with  the  bounds,  situation,  and  extent  of  the  countries  concerned. 

Chronology,  by  the  help  of  Helvicus  or  some  other  writer  of  the 
kind,  who  shall  enable  them  to  tell  when  those  events  happened,  what 
princes  were  contemporaries,  and  what  statesi)r  famous  men  flourished 
about  that  time.  The  several  principal  epochs  to  be  first  well  fixed  in 
their  memories. 

Ancient  Customs,  religious  and  civil,  being  frequently  mentioned  in 
history,  will  give  occasion  for  explaining  them;  in  which  the  prints  of 
medals,  baeso-rilievos,  and  ancient  monuments  will  greatly  assist. 

Morality,  by  descanting  and  making  continual  observations  on  the 
causes  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  any  man's  character,  fortune,  and  power, 
mentioned  in  history;  the  advantages  of  temperance,  order,  frugality, 
industry,  and  perseverance.    Indeed,  the  general  natural  tendency  of 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      61 

reading  good  history  must  be,  to  fix  in  the  minds  of  the  youth  deep  im- 
pressions of  the  beauty  and  usefulness  of  virtue  of  all  kinds,  public 
spirit,  and  fortitude. 

History  will  show  the  wonderful  effects  of  oratory,  in  governing, 
turning,  and  leading  great  bodies  of  mankind,  armies,  cities,  nations. 
When  the  minds  of  youth  are  struck  with  admiration  at  this,  then  is  the 
time  to  give  them  the  principles  of  that  art,  which  they  will  study  with 
taste  and  application.  Then  they  may  be  made  acquainted  with  the 
bestmodelsamongthe  ancients,  their  beauties  beingparticnlarly  pointed 
out  to  them.  Modern  political  oratory  being  chiefly  performed  by  the 
pen  and  press,  its  advantages  over  the  ancients  in  some  respects  are  to 
be  shown;  as  that  its  effiects  are  more  extensive,  and  more  lasting. 

History  will  also  afford  frequent  opportunities  of  showing  the  neces- 
sity of  a  public  religion,  from  its  usefulness  to  the  public ;  the  advantage 
of  a  religious  character  among  private  persons;  the  mischief  of  super- 
stition, and  the  excellency  of  the  Christian  religion  above  all  others, 
ancient  or  mx)dern. 

History  will  also  givje  occasion  to  expatiate  on  the  advantage  of  civil 
orders  and  constitutions;  how  men  and  their  properties  are  protected 
by  joining  in  societies  and  establishing  government;  their  industry 
encouraged  and  rewardeii,  arts  invented,  and  life  made  more  comfort- 
able; che  advantages  of  liberty,  mischiefs  of  licentiousness,  benefits 
arising  from  good  laws  and  a  due  execution  of  justice.  Thus  may  the 
first  principles  of  sound  politics  be  fixed  in  the  minds  of  youth. 

On  historical  occasions,  questions  of  right  and  wrong,  justice  and 
injustice,  will  naturally  arise,  and  may  be  put  to  youth,  which  tliey 
may  debate  in  conversation  and  in  writing.  Wlien  they  ardently  desire 
victory,  for  the  sake  of  the  praise  attending  it,  tliey  will  begin  to  feel 
t)ie  want,  and  be  sensible  of  the  use,  of  logic,  or  the  art  of  reasoning 
to  discover  truth,  and  of  arguing  to  defend  it,  and  convince  adversa- 
ries. This  would  be  the  time  to  acquaint  them  with  the  principles  of 
that  art.  Grotius,  Puffendorff",  and  some  other  writers  of  the  same 
kind,  may  be  used  on  these  occasions  to  decide  their  disputes.  Public 
disputes  warm  the  imagination,  whet  the  industry,  and  strengthen  the 
natural  abilities. 

When  youth  are  told,  that  the  great  men,  whose  lives  and  actions 
they  read  in  history,  spoke  two  of  the  best  languages  that  ever  were, 
the  most  expressive,  copious,  beautiful ;  and  that  the  finest  writings, 
the  most  correct  compositions,  the  most  perfect  productions  of  human 
wit  and  Avisdom,  are  in  those  languages,  which  have  endured  for  ages, 
and  will  endure  while  there  are  men;  that  no  translation  can  do  them 
juvstice,  or  give  the  pleasure  found  in  reading  the  originals;  that  those 
languages  contain  all  science;  that  one  of  them  is  become  almost  uni- 
versal, being  the  language  of  learned  men  in  all  countries;  and  that 
to  understand  them  is  a  distinguishing  ornament;  they  maybe  thereby 
made  desirous  of  learning  those  languages,  aud  their  industry  sharp 


62  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

eiied  in  the  acquisition  of  them.  All  iuteuded  for  divinity,  should  be 
taught  the  Latin  and  Greek;  for  physic,  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  French; 
for  law,  the  Latin  and  French;  merchants,  the  French,  German,  and 
Spanish;  and,  though  all  shouhl  not  be  compelled  to  learn  Latin, 
Greek,  or  the  modern  foreign  languages,  yet  none  that  have  an  ardent 
desire  to  learu  them  should  he  refused;  their  English,  arithmetic,  and 
other  studies  absolutely  necessary,  being  at  the  same  time  not  neg- 
lected. 

If  the  new  Universal  History  were  also  read,  it  would  give  a  con- 
nected idea  of  human  aftairs,  so  far  as  it  goes,  which  should  be  follow-ed 
by  the  best  modern  histories,  particularly  of  our  mother  country ;  then 
of  these  colonies;  which  shonld  be  accompanied  with  observations  on 
their  rise,  increase,  use  to  Great  Britain,  encouragements  and  discour- 
agements, the  means  to  make  them  flourish,  and  secure  their  liberties. 

With  the  history  of  men,  times,  and  nations,  should  be  read  at  proper 
hours  or  days,  some  of  the  best  histories  of  nature,  which  would  not 
only  be  delightful  to  youth,  and  furnish  them  with  matter  for  their  let- 
ters, as  well  as  other  history,  but  would  afterwards  be  of  great  use  to 
them,  whether  they  are  merchants,  handicrafts,  or  divines;  enabling 
the  first  the  better  to  understand  many  commodities  and  drugs,  the 
second  to  improve  his  trade  or  handicraft  by  new  mixtures  and  mate- 
rials, and  the  last  to  adorn  his  discourses  by  beautiful  comparis(ms,  and 
strengthen  them  by  new  proofs  of  divine  providence.  The  conversation 
of  all  will  be  improved  by  it,  as  occasions  frequently  occur  of  making 
natural  observations,  which  are  instructive,  agreeable,  and  entertaining 
in  almost  all  companies.  Natural  history  will  also  afibrd  opportunities 
of  introducing  many  observations,  relating  to  the  preservation  of  health, 
which  may  be  afterwards  of  great  use.  Arbiithnot  on  Air  and  Aliment, 
Sanctorious  on  Perspiration,  Lemery  on  Foods,  and  some  others,  may 
now  be  read,  and  a  very  little  explanation  will  make  them  sufficiently 
intelligible  to  youth. 

While  they  are  reading  natural  history, might  not  a  little  gardening, 
planting,  grafting,  and  inoculating,  be  taught  and  ])racticed;  and  now 
and  then  excursions  made  to  the  neighboring  plantations  of  the  best 
farmers,  their  methods  observed  and  reasoned  upon  for  the  information 
of  youth?  The  improvenu'nt  of  agriculture  being  useful  to  all,  and 
skill  in  it  no  disparagement  to  any. 

The  history  of  commerce,  of  the  invention  of  arts,  rise  of  manufac- 
ture, progress  of  trade,  change  of  its  seats,  with  the  reasons  and  causes, 
may  also  be  made  entertaining  to  youth,  and  will  be  useful  to  all.  And 
this,  with  the  accounts  in  other  history  of  the  prodigious  force  and 
effect  of  engines  and  machines  used  in  war  will  naturally  introduce  a 
desire  to  be  instructed  in  mechanics,  and  to  be  informed  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  that  art  by  which  weak  men  perform  such  wonders,  labor  is 
saved,  and  mauufactures  expedited.    This  will  be  the  time  tp  pjiow 


^  ^ 


MeJ  ^^oi/^^Tny  (^^ic/C^  a^3x:^h^^  '/^t/utJ  a^  <^^^«4i_,^ 


c/r?^  a^wr-t:^eie'nct^ 


O^TT^y^ii^/u^uXj^  tJ^^ce^a^y^    Me/^yiM^&ra/ ^nftyn<f^£^  .^T^ 


7v 


FACSIMILE  OF  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  ORIGINAL  DRAFT  OF  THE  FIRST  CHARTER 
OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  1749. 


^Ui^iU 


'^^A 


'^y/}rx'^::z^^6^  y^^^L^  <n(_ 


K:j^t^^  ^^A>UJii4^^ 


A-        ■  ^» 


fZM^Ac 


FACSDIILE  OF  THE  SIGNATURES. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.     63 

them  prints  of  ancient  and  modern  mai'hines;  to  explain  them,  and 
let  them  be  copied,  and  to  give  lectures  in  mechanical  philosophy. 

With  the  whole  should  be  constantly  inculcat<'d  and  cultivated  that 
benignityof  mind,  which  shows  itself  in  searching  for  and  seizing  every 
opportunity  to  serve  and  to  oblige;  and  is  the  foundation  of  what  is 
called  good  breeding;  highly  useful  to  the  possessor,  and  most  agree- 
able to  all. 

The  idea  of  what  is  true  merit  should  also  be  often  presented  to 
youth,  explained  and  impressed  on  their  minds,  as  consisting  in  an  in- 
clination, joined  with  an  ability,  to  serve  mankind,  one's  country, 
friends,  and  family;  which  ability  is,  with  the  blessing  of  Go<l,  to  be 
acquired  or  greatly  increased  by  true  learning;  and  should,  indeed,  be 
the  great  aim  and  end  of  all  learn itig. 


II. 

CONSTITUTIONS   OF   THE    PUBLICK  ACADEMY   IN   THE    CITY   OF   PHIL- 
ADELPHIA. 

As  ^Nothing  can  more  efl'ectually  contribute  to  the  Cultivation  &  Im- 
provement of  a  Country,  the  Wisdom,  Kiches,  and  Strength,  Virtue 
and  Piety,  the  Welfare  and  Happiness  of  a  People,  than  a  proper 
Education  of  Youth,  by  forming  their  Manners,  imbuing  their  tender 
Winds  with  Principles  of  Rectitude  and  Morality,  instructing  them 
in  the  dead  &  living  Languages,  particularly  their  Mother-Tongue,  and 
all  useful  Branches  of  liberal  Arts  and  Science, 

For  attaining  these  great  &  important  Advantages,  so  far  as  the 
present  State  of  our  infant  Country  will  admit,  and  laying  a  Founda- 
tion for  Posterity  to  erect  a  Seminary  of  Learning  more  extensive 
and  suitable  to  their  future  Circumstances,  An  Academy  for  teaching 
the  Latin  &  Greek  Languages,  the  English  Tongue,  gramatically  and 
as  a  Language,  the  most  useful  living  foreign  Languages,  French, 
German  and  Spanish:  As  Matters  of  Erudition  naturally  flowing  from 
the  Languages,  History,  Geography,  Chronology,  Logick  and  Rhetorick ; 
Writing,  Arithmetick,  Algebra,  the  several  Brandies  of  the  Mathe 
maticks,  ]^ratural  &  Mechanick  Philosophy,  Drawing  in  Perspective, 
and  every  other  useful  Part  of  Learning  and  Knowledge,  shall  be  set 
up,  nmintained,  and  have  Continuance,  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  in 
Planner  following  Twenty-four  Persons,  to  wit,  James  Logan,  Thomas 
Lawrence,  William  Allen,  John  Inglis,  Tench  Francis,  William  Masters, 
Lloyd  Zachery,  Samuel  McCall  .lun.,  Joseph  Turner,  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, Thomas  Leech,  William  Shippen,  Robert  Strettell,  Philip  Syng, 
Charles  Willing,  Phineas  Bond,  Richard  Peters,  Abraham  Taylor, 
Thomas  Bond, Thomas  llopkinson,  William  Plumsted,  Joshua  Maddox, 
Thomas  Wliite  &  William  Coleman, 


64  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

All  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  shall  be  Trustees,  to  begin,  and 
cany  into  Execution,  this  good  and  pious  Undertaking;  who  shall  not 
for  any  Services,  by  them  as  Trustees  performed,  claim  or  receive  any 
Reward  or  Compensation.  Which  Number  shall  always  be  continued, 
but  never  exceeded  upon  any  Motive  Avhatever. 

When  any  Trustee  .shall  remove  his  Habitation  far  li-om  the  City  of 
Philadelphia,  reside  beyond  Sea,  or  die,  the  remaining  Tiustees  shall, 
with  all  convenient  Speed,  proceed  to  elect  another,  residing  in  or  near 
the  City,  to  fill  the  Place  of  the  absenting  or  deceased  Person. 

The  Trustees  shall  have  general  Conventions  once  in  every  Month, 
and  may,  on  special  Occasions,  meet  at  other  Times  on  IS^otice,  at  some 
convenient  Place  within  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  to  transact  the  Bus- 
iness incumbent  on  them,  and  shall,  in  the  Gazette,  advertise  the  Time 
and  Place  of  their  general  Conventions. 

Nothing  shall  be  transacted  by  the  Trustees,  or  under  their  Authority 
alone,  unless  the  same  be  voted  by  a  Majority  of  their  whole  Number, 
if  at  a  general  Convention,  and  if  at  a  special  Meeting,  by  the  like 
Majority,  upon  personal  Notice  given  to  each  Trustee,  at  least  one  day 
before,  to  attend. 

The  Trustees  shall,  at  their  first  Meeting,  elect  a  President  for  one 
Year,  whose  particular  Duty  it  shall  be  when  present,  to  regulate  their 
Debates,  and  state  the  proper  Questions  arising  from  them,  and  to 
order  Notices  to  be  given,  of  the  Times  and  Places  of  their  special  Con- 
ventions. And  the  like  Election  shall  be  annually  made,  at  their  first 
Meeting,  after  the  Exx)iration  of  each  Year. 

The  Trustees  shall  annually  choose  one  of  their  own  Members  for  a 
Treasurer,  who  shall  receive  all  Donations  and  Money  due  to  them,  and 
disburse  and  lay  out  the  same,  according  to  their  Orders,  and  at  the 
End  of  each  Year,  pay  the  Sum  remaining  in  his  H^pds  to  his  sncc^tsr 
sor. 

All  Contracts  and  Assurances  for  Payment  of  Money  to  them,  shall 
be  made  in  the  Name  of  the  Treasurer  for  the  Time  being,  and  declared 
to  be  in  Trust  for  the  Use  of  the  Trustees. 

The  Trustees  may  appoint  a  Clerk,  whose  Duty  in  particular  it  shall 
be,  to  attend  them  in  their  general  and  special  Conventions;  to  give 
Notice  in  Writing  to  the  Members  of  the  Time,  &  Place,  and  Design, 
pf  any  special  Meetings;  to  register  all  their  Proceedings;  and  extract 
a  State  of  their  Accounts  annually,  to  be  imblishetl  in  the  Gazette; 
for  which  they  may  pay  him  such  Salary  as  they  shall  think  reason 
able. 

The  Trustees  shall,  with  all  convenient  speed,  after  signing  these 
Constitutions,  contract  with  any  Person  that  ofiers,  who  they  shall 
judge  most  capable  of  teaching  the  Latin  and  Greek  Languages,  His- 
tory, Geography,  Chronology,  and  Ehetorick;  having  great  Regard  at 
the  same  Time  to  his  Polite  Speaking,  Writing,  and  Understanding  the 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.      65 

Ell olish  Tongue;  wliiqji  Person  shall  in  Fact  be,  and  shall  be  stiled, 
the  Rector  of  the  Academy. 

The  Trustees  may  contract  with  the  Rector  for  the  Term  of  Five 
Years,  or  less,  at  their  discretion,  for  the  Sum  of  Two  Hundred  Pounds 
a  Year. 

The  Rector  shall  be  obliged,  without  the  assistance  of  any  Usher,  to 
teach  twenty  ScJiolars,  tlie  Latin  and  Greek  Languages,  and  at  the 
same  time,  according  to  the  best  of  his  Capacity,  to  instruct  them  in 
History,,  Geography,  Logick,  Rhetorick,  and  the  English  Tongue;  and 
Twenty-five  Scholars  more  for  every  Usher  provided  for  him,  who  shall 
be  entirely  subject  to  his  Direction. 

The  Rector  shall  upon  all  Occasions,  consistent  with  his  Duty  in  the 
Latin  School,  assist  the  English  Master,  in  improving  the  Y'outh  under 
his  Care,  and  superintend  the  Instruction  of  all  the  Scholars  in  the 
other  Branches  of  Learning,  taught  within  the  Academy,  and  see  that 
the  Masters  in  each  Art  and  Science  jierform  their  Duties. 

The  Trustees,  shall,  with  all  convenient  Speed,  contract  with  any 
Person  that  oflfers,  who  they  shall  judge  most  capable,  of  teaching  the 
English  Tongue  grammatically,  and  as  a  Language,  History,  Geogra- 
phy, Chronology,  Logick  and  Oratory,  which  Person  sliall  be  stiled 
the  ENGLISH  MASTER. 

The  Trustees  may  contract  with  the  English  Master  for  the  Term  of 
Five  Years,  or  less,  at  their  Discretion,  for  the  sum  of  One  Hundred 
Pounds  a  Year. 

The  English  Master  shall  be  obliged  without  the  assistance  of  any 
Usher,  to  teach  Forty  Scholars  the  English  Tongue  grammatically,  and 
as  a  Language;  and  at  the  same  Time,  according  to  the  best  of  his 
Capacity,  to  instruct  them  in  History,  Geogxaphy,  Chronology,  Logick, 
and  Oratory;  and  Sixty  Scholars  more  for  every  Usher  provided  for 
him. 

The  Ushers  for  the  Latin  and  Greek  School,  shall  be  admitte<l,  and 
at  Pleasure  removed,  by  the  Trustees  and  the  Rector,  or  a  Majority  of 
them. 

The  Ushers  for  the  English  School  shall  be  admitted,  and  at  Pleasure 
removed,  by  the  Trustees  and  the  English  Master,  or  a  Majority  of 
them. 

The  Trustees  shall  contract  with  the  Usher,  to  pay  him  what  they 
shall  judge  proportionable  to  his  Capacity  and  Merit. 

NEITHER  the  Rector,  nor  p:nglish  Master  shall  be  removed,  unless 
disabled  by  Sickness,  or  other  natural  Infirmity,  or  for  gross  voluntary 
Neglect  of  Duty,  continued  after  two  Admonitions  from  the  Trustees, 
or  for  committing  infamous  Crimes;  and  such  Removal  be  voted  by 
three  Fourths  of  the  Trustees;  after  which  their  Salaries  respectively 

^hall  cease. 

The  Trustees  shall,  with  all  convenient  Speed,  endeavor  to  engage 
Persons  capable  of  teaching  the  French,  Spanish,  and  German  Lan- 
ugo  5 


66  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

guagCiS,  Writing,  Arithmetick,  tlie  several  Brancjies  of  the  Mathemat- 
icks.  Natural  and  Mechanic  Philosophy,  and  Drawing;  who  shall  give 
their  Attendance,  as  soon  as  a  sufficient  Number  of  Scholars  shall  offer 
to  be  instructed  in  those  Parts  of  Learning ;  and  be  paid  such  Salaries 
and  Rewards,  as  the  Trustees  shall  from  Time  to  Time  be  able  to  allow. 

EACH  Scholar  shall  pay  such  Sum  or  Sums,  quarterly,  according  to 
the  particular  Branches  of  Learning  they  shall  desire  to  be  taught,  as 
the  Trustees  shall  from  Time  to  Time  settle  and  appoint. 

No  Scholar  shall  be  admitted, or  taught  within  tlie  Academy,  without 
the  Consent  of  the  major  Part  of  the  Trustees  in  Writing,  signed  with 
their  Names. 

IN  Case  of  the  Disability  of  the  Rector,  or  any  Master  established 
on  the  Foundation,  by  receiving  a  certain  Salary,  through  Sickness,  or 
any  other  natural  Infirmity,  whereby  he  may  be  reduced  to  Poverty, 
the  Trustees  shall  have  Power  to  contribute  to  his  Support,  in  Propor- 
tion to  his  Distress  and  Merit,  and  the  stock  in  their  Hands. 

FOR  the  Security  of  the  Trustees,  in  contracting  with  the  Rector, 
Masters  and  Ushers;  to  enable  them  to  provide  and  fit  up  convenient 
Schools;  furnish  them  with  Books  of  general  Use,  that  may  be  too 
expensive  for  each  Scholar;  Maps,  Draughts,  and  other  Things,  gener- 
ally necessary,  for  the  Improvement  of  the  Youth ;  and  to  bear  the  in- 
cumbent Charges  that  will  unavoidably  attend  this  Undertaking,  espec- 
ially in  the  Beginning ;  the  Donations  of  all  Persons  inclined  to  en- 
courage it,  are  to  be  cheerfully  and  thankfully  accepted. 

THE  Academy  shall  be  open'd  with  all  convenient  Speed,  by  accept- 
ing the  first  good  Master  that  offers,  either  for  teaching  the  Latin  and 
Greek,  or  English,  under  the  Terms  above  proposed. 

ALL  Rules  for  the  Attendance  and  Duty  of  the  Masters,  the  Con- 
duct of  the  Youth,  and  the  facilitating  their  Progress  in  Learning  and 
Virtue,  shall  be  framed  by  the  Masters,  in  Conjunction  with  the  Trus- 
tees. 

IF  the  Scholars  shall  hereafter  grow  very  numerous,  and  the  Funds 
be  sufficient,  the  trustees  may  at  their  Discretion,  augment  the  Sala- 
ries of  the  Rector  or  Masters. 

*  THE  Trustees,  to  increase  their  Stock,  may  let  their  money  out  at 
interest. 

IN  general,  the  Trustees  shall  have  Power  to  dispose  of  all  Money, 
received  by  them,  as  they  shall  think  best  for  the  Advantage,  Promo- 
tion, and  even  Enlargement  of  this  Design. 

THE  Trustees  may  hereafter  add  to  or  change  any  of  these  Consti- 
tutions, except  that  hereby  declared  to  be  invariable. 

ALL  Trustees,  Rectors,  Masters,  Ushers,  Clerks,  and  other  Minis- 
ters, hereafter  to  be  elected  or  appointed,  for  carrying  this  Undertaking 
into  Execution,  shall,  before  they  be  admitted  to  tlie  Exercise  of  their 
respective  Trusts  or  Duties,  sign  these  Constitutions,  or  some  others  to 
be  hereafter  framed  by  the  Trustees  in  their  Stead,  in  Testimony  of 
their  then  approving  of,  and  resolving  to  observe  them. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      67 

UPON  the  Death  or  Absence  as  aforesaid  of  any  Trustee,  the  remain- 
ing Trustees  shall  not  have  Authority  to  exercise  any  of  the  Powers 
reposed  in  them,  until  they  have  chosen  a  new  Trustee  in  his  Place, 
and  such  new  Trustee  shall  have  signed  the  established  Constitutions, 
which  if  he  shall  refuse  to  do,  they  shall  proceed  to  elect  another;  and 
so  toties  quoties,  until  the  Person  elected  shall  sign  the  Constitution. 
WHEN  the  Fund  is  sufficient  to  bear  the  Charge,  which  it  is  hoped 
thro'  the  Bounty  and  Charity  of  well  disposed  Persons,  will  soon  come 
to  pass,  poor  Children  shall  be  admitted,  and  taught  gratis,  what  shall 
be  thought  suitable  to  their  Capacities  and  Circumstances. 

IT  is  hoped  and  expected,  that  the  Trustees  will  make'it  their  Pleas- 
ure, and  in  some  Degree  their  business,  to  visit  the  Academy  often,  to 
encourage  and  countenance  the  Youth,  countenance  and  assist  the 
Masters,  and  by  all  Means  in  their  Power,  advance  the  Usefulness 
and  Reputation  of  the  Design;  that  they  will  look  on  the  Students 
as,  in  some  Measure,  their  own  Children,  treat  them  with  Familiarity 
and  Affection;  and  when  they  have  behaved  well,  gone  thro'  their 
Studies,  and  are  to  enter  the  World,  they  shall  zealously  unite,  and 
make  all  the  Interest  that  can  be  made,  to  promote  and  establish 
them,  whether  in  Business,  Offices,  Marriages,  or  any  other  Thing  for 
their  Advantage,  preferable  to  all  other  Persons  whatsoever,  even  of 
equal  Merit. 

THE  Trustees  shall  in  a  Body  visit  the  Academy  once  a  Year  extra- 
ordinary, to  view  and  hear  the  performances  and  Lectures  of  the  Schol- 
ars, in  such  Modes,  as  their  respective  Masters  shall  think  proper,  and 
shall  have  Power,  out  of  their  Stock,  to  make  presents  to  the  most 
meritorious  Scholars,  according  to  their  several  deserts. 

N.  B.  The  above  Constitutions  were  signed  on  the  l.'3th  of  November, 
1749;  and  are  to  be  carried  into  Execution  as  early  as  may  be  in  the 
ensuing  Year,  a  considerable  Sum  being  already  subscribed  for  that 
Purpose  by  a  few  Hands;  who  hope,  from  the  known  Publick  Spiiit  of 
the  People  of  Pennsylvania,  that  such  further  Sums  as  are  necessary 
to  be  subscribed  for  perfecting  this  useful  Design,  will  not  be  wanting. 
Thomas  Lawrence  Benjamin  Franklin 

William  Allen  Thomas  Leech 

John  Inglis  William  Shippen 

Tench  Francis  Robert  Strettell 

William  Masters  Philip  Syng 

Lloyd  Zachary  Charles  Willing 

SamuA  McCall,  jr.  Phineas  Bond 

Joseph  Turner  Richard  Peters 

Abraham  Taylor  Joshua  Maddox 

Thomas  Bond  Tho3ias  White 

Thomas  Hopkinson  William  Coleman 

William  Plumsted  Thomas  Cadwalader 

David  Martin,  Rector 
Theophilus  Grew,  Math.  Prof. 


68  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 


III. 

CHARTER  to  Thomas  Lawrence  and  others^  to  be  trtistees  of  the  Acad- 
emy and  Charitable  School  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania. 

THOMAS  PENN  and  Kichard  Perm,  true  and  absolute  proprietors 
and  governors  in  chief  of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  and  counties 
of  !N"ew  Castle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  on  Delaware,  To  all  persons  to  whom 
these  presents  shall  come,  greeting:  Whereas  the  well  being  of  a  so- 
ciety depends  on  the  education  of  their  youth,  as  well  as,  in  great  meas- 
ure, the  eternal  welfare  of  every  individual,  by  impressing  on  their  ten- 
der minds  principles  of  morality  and  religion,  instructing  them  in  the 
several  duties  they  owe  to  the  society  in  which  they  live,  and  one  to- 
wards another,  giving  them  the  knowledge  of  languages,  and  other 
parts  of  useful  learning  necessary  thereto,  in  order  to  render  them  serv- 
iceable in  the  several  public  stations  to  which  they  may  be  called. 
And  jchereas,  it  hath  been  represented  tons  by  Thomas  Lawrence,  Wil- 
liam Allen,  John  Inglis,  Tench  Francis,  William  Masters,  Lloyd  Zach- 
ary,  Samuel  M'Call,  junior,  Joseph  Turner,  Benjamin  Franklin,  Thomas 
Leech,  William  Shippen,  Robert  Strettell,  Philip  Syng,  Charles  Will- 
ing, Phineas  Bond,  Richard  Peters,  Abraham  Taylor,  Thomas  Bond, 
Joshua  Maddox,  William  Plumstead,  Thomas  White,  William  Cole- 
man, Isaac  Norris,  and  Thomas  Cadwalader,  of  our  city  of  Philadel- 
phia, gentlemen,  that  for  the  erecting,  establishing,  and  maintaining  an 
academy  within  our  said  city  as  well  to  instruct  youth  for  reward,  as 
poor  children  whose  indigent  and  helpless  circumstances  demand  the 
charity  of  the  opulent  part  of  mankind,  several  benevolent  and  chari- 
table persons  have  generously  paid,  and  by  subscriptions  promised 
hereafter  to  pay  into  their  hands  as  trustees,  for  the  use  of  the  said 
academy,  divers  sums  of  money,  which  sums  already  paid,  they,  the 
said  trustees,  have  expended  in  the  purchase  of  lands  well  situated, 
and  a  building  commodious  for  the  uses  aforesaid,  within  our  said  city  in 
maintaining  an  academy  there  as  well  for  the  instruction -of  poor  chil- 
dren on  charity,  as  others  whose  circumstances  have  enabled  them  to 
pay  for  their  learning,  for  some  time  past,  and  in  furnishing  the  said 
academy  with  books,  maps,  mathematical  instruments,  and  other  neces- 
saries of  general  use  therein,  according  to  the  intentions  of  the  donors. 

And  ichereasj  the  said  trustees  to  facilitate  the  progress  of  so  good  a 
work,  and  to  perfect  and  i)erpetuate  the  same,  have  humbly  besought 
ns  to  incorporate  them  and  their  successors. 

Noic  know  ye,  That  we  favouring  such  pious,  useful,  generous,  and 
charitable  designs,  hoping  through  the  favour  of  Almighty  God,  this 
academy  may  prove  a  nursery  of  virtue  and  wisdom,  and  that  it  will 
produce  men  of  dispositions  and  capacities  beneficial  to  mankind  in  the 
various  occupations  of  life;  but  more  particularly  suited  to  the  infant 
Btate  of  North  America  in  general,  and  for  other  causes  and  considera- 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      69 

tions  US  hereto  specially  moving,  have  granted,  ordained, declaretl,  con- 
stituted, and  appointed,  and  by  these  presents  ire  cbt,  for  us,  our  heirs, 
and  successors  ^rant,  ordain,  declare,  constitute,  and  ai)poiut,  That 
the  said  Thomas  Lawrence,  William  Allen,  John  Inglis,  Tench  Francis, 
William  Masters,  Lloyd  Zachary,  Samuel  M'Call,  junior,  Joseph  Tur 
ner,  Benjamin  Franklin,  Thomas  Leech,  William  Sliippen,liobert  JStret- 
tel,  Philip  Syng,  Charles  Willing,  Phineas  Bond, Richard  Peters,  Abra- 
ham Taylor,  Thomas  Bond,  Joshua  Maddox,  William  Plumstead, 
Thomas  White,  William  Coleman,  Isaac  Norris,  and  Thomas  Cadwala- 
der  and  such  others,  as  shall  be  from  time  to  time  <;hosen,  nominated, 
or  elected  in  their  place  and  stead,  shall  be  one  community,  coriwra- 
tion,  and  body  politic,  to  have  continuance  for  ever,  by  the  name  of 
The  Trustees  of  the  Academy  and  Charitable  School  in  the  province  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  that  by  the  same  name,  they  shall  have  ix^rpetual 
succession,  and  that  they  and  theij  successors  by  that  name,  shall  be 
capable  in  law  to  purchase,  have,  take,  receive,  and  enjoy  tcthem  and 
their  successors  in  fee  and  in  perpetuity,  or  for  any  other  or  lesser  estate 
or  estates,  any  manors,  lands,  tenements,  rents,  annuities,  pensions,  or 
other  hereditaments  within  the  said  province  of  Pennsylvania,  or  three 
lower  counties  of  New  Castle,  Kentand  Sussex,  by  the  gift,  grant,  bargain, 
sale,  alienation,  enfeoffment,  release,  confirmation,  or  device  of  any  per- 
son or  persons,  bodies  politick  or  corporate,  capable  to  make  the  same. 
Andfuriher,  that  they  may  take  and  receive  any  sum  or  sums  of  money, 
or  any  kind,  manner,  or  portion  of  goods  or  chattels  that  shall  to  them  be 
given,  granted  or  bequeathed  by  any  person  or  persons,  bodies  politick 
or  corporate,  capable  to  make  a  gift,  grant,  or  bequest  thereof;  and 
therewith  to  erect,  set  up,  maintain,  and  support  an  academy  or  any 
other  kind  of  seminary  of  learning  in  any  place  within  the  said  province 
of  Pennsylvania,  where  they  shall  judge  the  same  to  be  most  necessary 
and  convenient  for  the  instruction,  improvement,  and  education  of  youth 
in  any  kind  of  literature,  erudition,  arts,  and  sciences,  which  they  shall 
think  fitting  and  proper  to  be  taught.  And  tee  do  hereby  grant  and 
ordain.  That  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors  by  the  name  afore 
said,  shall  be  able  in  law  to.  sue  and  be  sued,  idead  and  be  impleaded 
in  any  court  or  courts,  before  any  judge,  judges,  or  justices  within  thesaid 
province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  three  lower  counties  of  New  Castle,  Kent, 
and  Sussex,  and  elsewhere;  in  all  and  all  manner  of  suits,  complaints, 
pleas,  causes,  matters,  and  demands  of  Avhatsoever  kind,  nature,  or 
form  they  be;  and  all  and  every  other  matters  and  things  therein  to  do 
in  as  full,  ample,  and  effectual  a  manner,  as  any  other  person  or  persons, 
bodies  politick  or  corporate  within  that  part  of  the  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  called  England,  or  within  the  said  province  of  Pennsylvania,  or 
three  lower  counties  in  the  like  cases  may  or  can  do.  And  we  do  hereby 
give  and  grant  unto  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors,  full  power 
and  authority  to  make,  have,  and  use  a  common  seal  with  such  stamp 
and  inscription  as  they  shall  think  proper;  and  the  same  to  change, 


70  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

break,  alter,  and  renew  at  their  pleasure.  And  further,  in  order  to 
continue  and  perpetuate  this  community  and  corporation,  We  do  grant, 
ordain,  and  declare,  that  when  any  one  or  more  of  the  present  or  future 
trustees  of  this  academy  and  school,  shall  remove  his  or  their  habitation 
or  habitations,  and  shall  dwell  at  the  distance  of  five  miles  from  tlie 
seat  of  the  said  academy  at  that  time,  or  shall  go  and  reside  out  of  the 
province  of  l*ennsylvania,  although  at  a  place  nearer  to  the  said  academy 
than  five  miles,  or  shall  hajipen  to  die  or  be  otherwise  disabled  from 
performing  the  office  and  the  duty  of  a  trustee  or  trustees,  the  <5tlier 
trustees  shall,  as  soon  after  as  they  conveniently  can,  proceed  to  elect 
and  choose  one  or  more  fit  person  or  persons,  theu  residing  within  five 
miles  of  the  said  academy,  and  within  the  said  province,  to  fill  the  place 
or  places  of  such  absenting,  deceased,  or  disabled  person  ()r  persons. 
And  ice  do  aho,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  give  and  grant  to  the 
said  trustees  and  corporation,  and  their  successors,  full  power  and 
authority  in  all  time  and  times  coming,  to  make,  ordain,  and  enact  all 
all  such  rules,  ordinances,  laws  and  statutes,  and  from  time  to  time  to 
alter  and  amend  the  same  as  they  shall  judge  most  convenient,  reason- 
able, and  needful  for  the  good  government  of  the  said  community,  the 
management  of  the  affairs  thereof,  and  the  effectual  i>romotion  of  the 
good  ends  hereby  intended;  provided  always^  That  the  said  rules, 
ordinances,  laws,  and  statutes,  be  not  repugnant  tt)  the  laws  and  statutes 
then  in  force  at  tlie  kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  or  to  the  laws  then  in 
force  in  our  said  province  of  Pennsylvania.  And  lastly,  We  do,  for  us 
and  our  successors,  grant,  declare,  and  ordain,  That  these  our  letters 
patent  and  charter,  and  every  clause,  sentence,  and  article  herein  con- 
tained shall  be  in  all  things  firm,  valid,  sufficient,  and  effectual  in  the 
law  unto  the  said  trustees,  community,  and  corporation  and  their  suc- 
cessors, according  to  the  purport  and  tenor  hereof,  without  any  further 
grant  or  toleration  from  us,  our  heirs,  or  successors,  to  be  procured  or 
obtained.  In  u-itness  whereof,  we  have  caused  these  our  letters,  to  be 
made  patent;  tcitness,  James  Hamilton,  esq.,  lieutenant  governor  and 
commander  in  chiei",  in  and  over  tlie  said  i)rovince  of  Pennsylvania,  at 
the  city  of  Pliiladelphia,  the  thirteenth  ilay  of  July,  in  the  twenty 
seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  onr  sovereign  lord  George  the  second,  who 
now  is  king  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Ireland,  &c.,  and  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  three. 

James  Hamilton,  [l.  s.] 
Recorded  Kith  July,  1753. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      71 


IV. 

ADDITIONAL   OHARTER   OP   THE   COLLEGE,  cVf!.   OP  PHILADELPHIA,   IN 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

THOMAS  PENN^,  and  Richard  Peiiil,  true  and  absolute  proprieta- 
ries of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  counties  of  New  Castle,  Kent, 
and  Sussex,  on  Delaware;  to  all  persons  to  whom  these  presents  shall 
come,  greeting: 

Whereas  it  was  heretofore  repre^sented  to  us,  by  Thomas  Lawrence, 
William  Allen,  Johu  Inglis,  Tench  Francis,  William  Masters,  Lloyd 
Zachary,  Samuel  M'Call,  junior,  Joseph  Turner,  Benjamin  Franklin, 
Thomas  Leech,  William  Shippen,  Eobert  Strettell,  Philip  Syng,  Charles 
Willing,  PhineasBond,  Eichard  Peters,  Abraham  Taylor,  Thomas  Bond, 
Joshua  Maddox,  William  Plumsted,  Thomas  White,  William  Colemau, 
Isaac  Norris,  and  Thomas  Cadwalader,  of  our  city  of  Philadelphia,  gen- 
tlemen ',  That  they  had,  at  their  own  expense,  and  by  the  donations  of 
many  well  disposed  persous,  set  up  and  maintained  an  academy  withiu 
our  said  city,  as  well  for  instructing  youth  for  reward,  as  poor  children 
on  charity,  and  praying  us  to  incorporate  them,  and  their  successors 

for  the  more  eflfectual  carrying  on  and  establishing  the  same: 

And  whereas  we,  being  desirous  to  encourage  such  pious,  useful,  and 
charitable  designs,  hoping  that  the  said  academy,  through  the  blessing 
of  Almighty  God,  would  jirove  a  nursery  of  wisdom  and  virtue,  and  be 
the  means  of  raising  up  men,  of  dispositions  and  qualifications  beneficial 
to  the  publick,  in  the  various  occupations  of  life,  and  for  other  causes 
and  considerations  us  thereto  specially  moving,  did,  for  us,  our  heirs 
axid  successors,  by  our  charter,  under  the  gi'eat  seal  of  our  said  province, 
grant,  ordain,  declare,  constitute,  and  appoint.  That  the  said  Thomas 
Lawrence,  William  Allen,  John  Inglis,  Tench  Francis,  William  Masters, 
Lloyd  Zachary,  Samuel  M'Call,  junior,  Joseph  Turner,  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, Thomas  Leech,  William  Shippen,  Robert  Strettell,  Philip  Syng, 
Charles  Willing,  Phineas  Bond,  Richard  PetervS,  Abraham  Taylor, 
Thomas  Bond,  Joshua  Maddox,  William  Plumsted,  Thomas  White, 
William  Coleman,  Isaac  Norris,  and  Thomas  Cadwalader,  and  their  suc- 
cessors, duly  elected  and  nominated  in  their  place  and  stead,  should  be 
one  corporation  and  body  j)olitick,  to  have  one  continuance  for  ever,  by 
the  name  of  The  Trustees  of  the  Academy  and  Charitable  School  in  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,  capable  U^  purchase  and  hold  lands,  to 
receive  donations,  to  sue  and  be  sued,  to  have  and  to  use  a  common 
seal,  to  make  rules  and  statutes,  and  to  do  everj'thing  needful  for  the 
good  government  and  perfect  establislmient  of  the  sfiid  academy,  or  of 
any  other  kind  of  seminary  of  learning,  which  they  should  think  fit  to 
erect,  maintain,  and  support,  in  any  place  within  the  said  i)rovince  of 
Pennsylvania,  for  the  instruction  of  youth  in  any  kind  of  literatuie,  arts, 


72  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

and  sciences,  as  by  ^mr  said  cliaiter,  enrolled  in  our  recorder's  office  for 
said  province,  at  the  city  of  Philadeliibia  aforesaid,  may  more  fully  and 
at  large  appear. 

Ifow  Jcnow  ye,  That  we  do,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  by  these  pres- 
ents, approve  of,  ratify  and  fully  confirm,  to  the  said  trustees  and  their 
successors,  all  and  singular,  the  premises,  together  with  all  and  singular 
the  matters,  clauses,  sentences,  and  articles,  contained  in  our  said  let- 
ters patent  and  charter,  excepting  only  one  article,  by  these  our  pres- 
ent letters  and  charter  altered  and  changed. 

Wherefore,  by  the  mJvwe  and  consent  of  the  mid  trusteeSy  Inow  ye,  That 
we  do  will  and  ordain,  that  the  present  trustees  of  the  said  academy, 
to  wit:  James  Hamilton,  William  Allen,  John  luglis,  Tench  Francis, 
William  Masters.  Lloj^d  Zachary,  Samuel  M'Call,  junior,  Joseph  Turner, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  Thomas  Leech,  William  Shippen,  Robert  JStrettell, 
Philip  Syng,  Phiueas  Bond,  llichard  Peters,  Abraham  Taylor,  Thomas 
Bond,  Joshua  Maddox,  William  Plumsted,  Thomas  AVhite,  William 
Coleman,  Thomas  Cadwalader,  Alexander  Stedman,  and  John  Mifflin, 
and  such  other  persons  as  shall  from  time  to  time  be  nominated  or 
chosen  in  their  place  and  stead,  according  to  the  order  and  direction  of 
our  said  recited  letters  and  charter,  shall  be  one  cx)mmunity,  corpora- 
tion, and  body  politick,  to  have  continuance  for  ever,  by  the  name  of 
The  Trustees  of  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania;  and  that,  by  the  same  name, 
they  shall  have  perpetual  succession. 

And  ire  do  hereby,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  grant,  ordain,  and 
declare,  That  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors,  by  that  name,  shall 
be  able  and  capable  in  law,  to  purchase,  have,  receive,  take,  hold,  and 
enjoy,  to  them  and  their  successors  iu  fee  and  perpetuity,  or  for  any 
other  lesser  estate  or  estates,  any  manors,  lands,  tenements,  rents,  an- 
nuities, pensions,  or  other  hereditaments,  within  the  said  province  of 
Pennsylvania,  or  three  lower  counties  of  New  Castle,  Kent,  and  Sus- 
sex, upon  Delaware,  by  the  gift,  grant,  bargain,  sale,  alienation,  enfeoff- 
ment, release,  confirmation  or  devise  of  any  person  or  persons,  bodies 
politick  or  corporate,  capable  to  make  the  same;  and  such  manors, 
lands,  tenements,  rents,  annuities,  pensions,  or  hereditaments,  or  any 
lesser  estates,  rights,  or  interests  of,  or  in  the  same,  at  their  pleasure 
to  grant,  alien,  sell,  and  transfer  in  such  manner  and  form,  as  they 
shall  think  meet  and  convenient;  and  further,  that  they  may  take  and 
receive  any  sum  or  sums  of  money,  and  any  kind,  manner,  or  portion 
of  goods  and  chattels,  that  shall  be  given,  sold,  or  bequeathed  to  them, 
by  any  person  or  persons,  bodies  ])olitick  or  corporate,  capable  to  make 
a  gift,  sale,  or  betpiest  thereof,  and  therewith  to  erect,  set  up  and  main- 
tain any  other  kind  of  seminary  of  lejirning,  in  any  place  within  the 
said  province  of  Pennsylvania,  where  they  shall  judge  the  same  most 
necessary  and  convenient,  for  the  instruction,  improvement,  and  edu- 
cation of  youth,  in  any  kind  of  literature,  arts,  and  sciences,  which 
they  shall  think  proper  to  be  taught. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO    THE    UNIVEK8ITT.      73 

And  we  do  hereby  yrant  and  ordain,  That  the  said  trustees  and  their 
successors,  by  the  name  in  this  charter  mentioned,  shall  be  able  in  law 
to  sue  and  be  sued,  plead  and  be  impleaded  in  any  court  or  courts, 
before  any  judge,  judges,  or  justices,  within  our  said  province  of  Penn- 
sylvania, the  three  lower  counties  of  New  Castle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  on 
Delaware,  and  elsewhere 5  in  all  and  all  manner  of  suits,  complaints, 
pleas,  causes,  matters,  and  demands,  of  whatsoever  kind,  nature,  or 
form  they  be;  and  all  and  every  other  matter  and  thing  therein  to  do, 
in  as  full  and  effectual  a  manner,  as  any  other  person  or  persons,  bodies 
politick  or  corporate,  within  that  part  of  Great  Britain  called  England, 
or  within  the  said  province  of  Pennsylvania,  or  three  lower  counties 
aforesaid,  in  the  like  cases  may  or  can  do. 

And  we  do  hereby  give  and  grant,  unto  the  said  trustees  and  their  suc- 
cessors, full  power  and  authority  to  make,  have,  and  use  one  common 
publick  seal,  and  likewise  one  i)rivy  seal  with  such  devices  and  inscrip- 
tion, as  they  shall  think  proper;  and  the  same,  or  either  of  them,  to 
change,  break,  alter,  and  renew,  at  their  pleasure. 

And  whereas  the  said  trustees  have,  by  their  petition  to  Bobebt 
Hunter  Morris,  Esq.;  our  lieutenant  governor  and  commander  in 
chief,  in  and  over  our  said  j)rovince  of  Pennsylvania,  and  counties  of 
New  Castle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  on  Delaware,  represented.  That  since 
our  granting  our  said  recited  charter,  the  academy  therein  mentioned, 
by  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God,  is  gieatlj^  imi)roved,  being  now  well 
provided  with  masters,  not  only  in  the  learned  languages,  but  also  in 
the  liberal  arts  and  sciences,  and  that  one  class  of  hoi)eful  students  has 
now  attained  to  that  station  in  learning  and  science,  by  which,  in  all 
well  constituted  seminaries,  youth  are  entitled  to  their  first  degree,  and 
which  the  said  students  are  earnestly  desirous  to  be  admitted  to;  and 
that  it  is  hoped,  from  the  capacities  and  diligence  of  this  class,  they  will 
hereafter  merit  admission  to  the  higher  degrees  in  the  arts  afld  sciences; 
from  whence  the  said  trustees  reasonably  exjject  a  succession  of  youth 
in  this  college  and  academy,  equally  meritorious  and  deserving  of  such 
publick  honours,  which  are  at  the  same  time  the  strongest  incentives  to, 
and  the  justest  rewards  of,  diligence  and  merit;  and  therefore  prayed 
an  addition  to  our  recited  charter,  to  empower  them  and  their  succes- 
sors, to  admit  deserving  students  to  the  usual  degrees,  and  to  confer 
such  dignity  on  the  masters  in  the  said  seminary,  as  shall  seem  meet  and 
necessary  for  its  good  government  and  establishment  upon  this  enlarge- 
ment of  the  design,  for  the  benefit  both  of  the  present  and  future  times. 
And  we  being  willing  to  grant  this  reasonable  request  of  the  said  trus- 
tees, and  to  give  all  i)roper  encouragement  to  an  institution  so  happily 
begun,  and  hitherto  so  successfully  carried  on,  for  the  benefit  of  our 
said  province,  as  well  as  the  neighboring  provinces  and  colonies  in 
America; 

Now  know  ye  also,  That  we  do  hereby,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors, 
give  and  grant  full  power  and  authority  to  the  said  trustees,  and  their 


74  THE    UNIVERSITY    OP    PENNSYLVANIA. 

successors,  fi'om  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  for  ever  hereafter,  in  such 
manner,  and  under  such  limitations,  as  they  shall  think  best  and  most 
convenient,  to  constitute  and  appoint  a  Provost  and  Vice-Provost  of  the 
said  collogue  and  academy,  who  shall  be  severally  named  and  styled  Pro- 
vost and  Vice-Provost  of  the  same.  And  also  to  nominate  and  appoint 
Professors  for  instmcting  the  students  of  the  same  seminary,  in  all  the 
liberal  arts  and  sciences,  the  ancient  languages,  and  the  English  tongue, 
who  shall  be  severally  styled  Professor  of  such  art,  science,  language 
or  tongue,  according  to  each  particular  nomination  and  appointment; 
which  Provost,  Vice-Provost  and  Professors,  so  constituted  and  ap- 
pointed, shall  be  known  and  distinguished,  as  one  body  and  faculty,  by 
the  name  of  the  Provost,  Vice-Provost  and  Professors  of  the  College 
and  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania;  and  by 
that  name  shall  be  capable  of  exercising  such  powers  and  authorities, 
as  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors  shall  think  necessary  to  dele- 
gate to  them,  for  the  discipline  and  government  of  the  said  college, 
academy  and  charitable  school;  Provided  always,  That  the  said  Trus- 
tees, the  Provost,  and  Vice-Provost,  and  each  Professor,  before  they 
shall  exercise  their  several  and  respective  powers  or  authorities,  oflices 
and  duties,  do  and  shall  take  and  subscribe  the  three  first  written  oaths, 
appointed  to  be  taken  and  subscribed,  in  and  by  one  act  of  parhament, 
passed  in  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  our  late  sovereign  Lord  George 
the  first,  intituled.  An  Act  for  the  further  Security  of  his  Majesty's  Per- 
son and  Government;  and  the  Succession  of  the  Crown  in  the  Heirs  of 
the  late  Princess  Sophia,  being  protestants,  and  for  extinguishing  the 
Hopes  of  the  pretended  Prince  of  Wales,  and  his  open  and  secret  Abet- 
tors; and  shall  also  make  and  subscribe  the  declaration,  appointed  to 
be  made  and  subscribed,  by  one  other  act  of  parliament,  passed  in  the 
tweuty-fifth  year  of  the  reign  of  king  Charles  the  second,  intituled,  An 
Act  for  preventing  Dangers  which  may  happen  from  popish  recusants: 
excepting  only  the  people  called  Quakers,  who,  upon  taking,  making 
and  subscribing  the  affirmations  and  declarations,  appointed  to  be 
taken,  made,  and  subscribed  by  the  acts  of  general  assembly  of  the 
province  of  Pennsylvania,  to  qualify  them  for  the  exercise  of  civil 
offices,  shall  be  admitted  to  the  exercise  of  all  and  every  the  powers, 
authorities,  offices,  and  duties  above  mentioned,  any  thing  in  this  pro- 
vision to  the  contrary  notwithstanding;  all  which  oaths  and  affirmations 
we  do  hereby  authorize  and  empower  the  lieutenant  governor  of  our 
said  province,  or  the  mayor  or  recorder  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  afore- 
said, or  any  two  justices  of  the  peace,  for  the  time  being  to  adminis- 
ter.  

Which  said  trustees,  and  their  successors,  being  qualified  as  hereby 
directed,  we  do,  by  these  presents,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  estab- 
lish in  their  several  and  respective  offices ;  to  have,  hold,  and  enjoy,  all 
and  singular  the  privileges,  liberties,  advantages,  powers,  and  immun- 
ities, herein  or  hereby  given  and  granted,  or  meant,  mentioned,  or  in- 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.       75 

tended,  to  be  herein  or  hereby  given  and  granted,  unt6  them  and  their 
successors  for  ever. 

And  we  do  hereby,  at  the  desire  and  request  of  the  said  trustees,  con- 
stitute and  appoint  the  Reverend  William  Smith,  M.  A.  to  be  the  first 
and  present  provost  of  the  said  college  and  academy,  and  the  lieveren«l 
Francis  Allison,  M.  A.  to  be  the  first  and  present  vice-provost  of  the 
same,  who  shall  also  retain  the  name  and  style  of  Rector  of  the  Acad- 
emy; which  offices  the  said  persons  shall  have  and  hold  only  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  said  trustees. 

And  we  do  further,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  authorize  the  said 
trustees  and  their  successors,  to  meet  on  such  day  or  days,  as  they  shall 
by  their  laws  and  statutes  appoint,  to  examine  the  candidates  for  ad- 
mission to  degrees  in  the  said  college  and  academy,  and  also  to  transact, 
determine,  and  settle  all  the  business  and  affairs  of  the  same.  And  we 
do  will  and  ordain,  that  at  all  those  meetings,  such  a  number  of  mem- 
bers so  met  and  convened,  as  shall  by  the  laws  and  statutes  be  author- 
ised to  transact  auyparticular  affairs  or  business,  and  the  majority  of  them 
shall-have  full  power  to  transact,  determine,  and  settle  such  affiairs  and 
businesSjinas  ample  and  effectual  a  manner  as  if  all  the  said  trustees  were 
present ;  excepting  always  the  nominating,  constituting,  and  discharging 
'the  provost,  vice-provost  and  professors,  or  any  of  them;  in  all  and 
eveiy  of  which  acts,  there  shall  be  thirteen  at  least  of  the  members  of 
the  said  corporation  present  and  consenting. 

And  tee  do  further,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  authorize  and 
emi)ower  the  said  trustees,  and  their  successors,  met  from  time  to  time 
as  aforesaid,  to  make  laws  and  statutes  to  regulat<3,  ascertain,  and  set- 
tle the  lirecedence,  jjo wers,  and  duties  of  the  said  provost,  vice-provost, 
(or  rector)  and  professors,  in  the  execution  of  the  laws  made,  or  to  be 
made,  for  the  education  of  the  youth,  and  wholesome  government  of 
the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school;  and  also  by  these  laws 
and  statutes,  in  such  manner  and  form  as  they  shall  think  convenient, 
to  empower  the  provost,  vice-provost,  and  professors,  for  the  time  being, 
to  make  and  execute  ordinances,  for  preserving  good  order,  obedience, 
and  government,  as  well  among  the  students  and  scholars,  as  the  several 
tutors,  officers,  and  ministers,  belonging  to  the  said  college,  juiademy, 
and  charitable  school;  and  further,  by  the  said  laws  and  statutes,  to 
enact  all  other  matters  and  things,  in  and  concerning  the  premises,  which 
may  by  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors,  be  thought  conducive 
to  the  well  being,  advancement,  and  perpetuating  the  said  college, 
academy,  and  corporation ;  provided  ahcays,  that  the  said  laws  be  not 
repugnant  to  the  laws  and  statutes  then  in  force  in  the  kingdom  of 
Great  Britain ;  nor  to  the  laws  and  statutes  then  in  force  in  our  said 
province  of  Pennsylvania. 

And  we  do  further,  for  us,  our  heirs,  and  successors,  give  and  grant  to 
the  trustees  of  the  said  college  and  academy.  That  for  animating  and  en- 
couraging the  students  thereof  to  a  laudable  diligence,  industrj',  and 


76  THi:    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

progress  in  useful  literature  and  scdeuce,  they  and  their  successors,  met 
together  on  such  day  or  days  as  they  shall  appoint  for  that  purpose, 
shall  have  full  power  and  authority,  by  the  provost,  and  in  his  absence 
by  the  vice-provost,  and  in  the  absence  of  both  the  j^rovost  and  vice- 
provost,  by  the  senior  professor,  or  any  other  lit  person  by  them  author- 
ized and  appointed,  to  admit  any  the  students  within  the  said  college 
and  academy,  or  any  other  person  or  persons  meriting  the  same,  to  any 
degree  or  degrees,  in  any  of  the  faculties,  arts,  and  sciences,  to  which 
l>ersons  are  usually  admitted,  in  any  or  either  of  the  universities  or  col- 
leges in  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain.  And  we  do  ordain,  That  the 
provost,  vice-provost,  or  other  person  api)ointed  as  aforesaid,  shall  make, 
and  with  his  name,  sign  diplomas  or  certificates  of  the  admission  to  such 
degree  or  degrees,  which  shall  be  sealed  with  the  Y>ublic  seal  of  the  said 
corporation,  and  delivered  to  the  graduatCwS  as  honourable  and  perpet- 
ual testimonials  thereof;  provided  always,  and  it  is  hereby  declared  to 
be  our  true  meaning  and  express  will,  That  no  student  or  students, 
within  the  said  college  and  academy,  shall  ever,  or  at  any  time  or  times 
hereafter,  be  admitted  to  any  such  degree  or  degrees,  until  such  student 
or  students  have  been  first  recommended  and  presented  as  worthy  of 
the  same,  by  a  Avritten  mandate,  given  under  the  hands  of  at  least  thir- 
teen of  the  trustees  of  the  said  college  and  academy,  and  sealed  with 
the  privy  seal  belonging  to  the  said  corporation,  after  a  i)ublic  examin- 
ation of  such  student  or  students  in  their  presence,  and  in  the  i)resence 
of  any  other  persons  choosing  to  attend  the  same,  to  be  had  in  the  hal^ 
of  the*said  college  and  academy,  at  least  one  whole  month  before  the 
ad  mi  ssion  to  such  degree  or  degrees ;  and  provided  further,  That  no  per- 
son or  persons,  excepting  the  students  belonging  to  the  said  seminary, 
shall  ever,  or  at  any  time  or  times,  be  admitted  to  any  such  degree  or 
degrees,  unless  with  the  express  mandate  of  at  least  two  tiiirds  of  the 
whole  number  of  trustees,  first  to  be  obtained  under  their  hands  and 
the  privy  seal  aforesaid,  to  the  provost,  vice-provost,  and  professors  of 
the  said  college  and  academy  directed. 

And  lastly,  we  do,  for  us,  and  our  successors,  (/rant,  declare,  and  ordain, 
That  these  our  letters  patent  and  charter,  and  every  clause,  sentence, 
and  article  herein  contained,  shall  be  in  all  things  firm,  valid,  sufficient, 
and  effectual  in  the  law,  unto  the  said  trustees,  community,  and  corpo- 
ration, and  their  successors,  according  to  the  pur}>ort  and  tenor  hereof, 
without  any  further  grant  or  toleration  from  us,  our  heirs,  and  succes- 
sors, to  be  procured  or  obtained;  provided  always.  That  the  clear  yearly 
value  of  the  messuages,  houses,  manors,  lauds,  tenements,  rents,  annu- 
ities, or  other  hereditaments,  and  real  estat^e  of  the  said  corporation,  do 
not  exceed  the  sum  of  five  thousand  pounds  sterling.  In  testimony 
whereof,  we  have  caused  these  our  letters  to  be  made  patent,  and  the 
great  seal  of  our  said  province  to  be  hereunto  affixed.  Witness  Robert 
Hunter  Morrus,  Esq.,  our  lieutenant  governer  and  commander  in 
chief,  in  and  over  our  said  province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  counties  of 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      77 

New  Castle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  on  Delaware;  this  fourteenth  day  of 
May,  in  the  twenty- eighth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  sovereign  lord  George 
the  second,  king  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Ireland,  &c.  and  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

Robert  Hunter  Morris. 


V. 

'  ["  Order  in  Council"  to  the  Lord  High  Chanrellor  to  draw  np  Letters  Patent  anthorizinR  the  collec- 
tion of  funds  forihe  joint  benpfit  of  the  College,  Academy  and  Charitable  School  in  PhLladelphia 
and  of  the  College  of  the  Province  of  New  York.] 

AT  THE  COURT  AT  ST.  JAMES  THE  12tH.  DAY  OF  AUGUST  1763. 

The  King's  most  excellent  Majesty  in  Council. 

Whereas  there  was  this  day  read  to  his  Majesty  at  this  Board  the 
joint  Petition  of  William  Smith,  Doctor  in  Divinity,  Agent  for  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  College,  Academy  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia  in 
the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Provost  of  that  Seminary;  and  of 
James  Jay  Doctor  in  Physic,  Agent  for  the  Governors  of  the  College  of 
the  Province  of  New  York  in  the  City  of  New  York  in  America,  setting 
forth — That  the  great  growth  of  these  Provinces  and  the  continual  ac- 
cession of  people  to  them  from  the  different  parts  of  the  world,  being 
some  years  ago  observed  by  sundry  of  his  Majestys  good  subjects  there, 
they  became  seriously  impressed  with  a  view  of  the  inconveniences  like 
to  arise  among  so  mixed  a  multitude,  if  left  destitute  of  the  necessary 
means  of  instruction,  differing  in  Language  and  Manners  unenlightened 
by  Religion,  uncemented  by  a  Common  Education,  strangers  to  the  hu- 
mane Arts,  and  to  the  just  use  of  Rational  Liberty. 

That  these  considerations  were  rendered  the  more  alarming  by  sun- 
dry other  circumstances,  and  particularly  the  amazing  pains  which  Pop- 
ish Emissaries  were  everywhere  perceived  to  take  for  the  propagation 
of  their  peculiar  tenets,  and  the  many  establishments  which  they  were 
making  for  this  xmrpose  in  all  parts  of  America  belonging  to  them; 
while  his  Majesty's  numerous  subjects  there,  and  particularly  iu  the 
two  important  and  central  Provinces  aforesaid  remained  too  liable  to 
their  corruptions  by  being  spread  abroad  on  a  wide  frontier,  with  scarce 
a  possibility  of  finding  a  sufficient  supply  of  Protestant  Ministers  and 
Teachers  for  them,  so  long  as  opportunities  were  wanting  to  educate 
them  there,  and  but  few  men  of  proper  qualifications  here  could  be  in* 
duced  to  exchange  their  hopes  in  these  kingdoms  for  a  laborious  em- 
ployment in  a  remote  wilderness  where  they  were  to  expect  but  small 
secular  advantage  to  reward  their  toil.— That  these  inconveniences  be- 
gan to  be  greatly  felt  not  only  by  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
iu  foreign  Parts,  but  also  by  the  various  denominations  of  other  Protest- 
ants in  his  Majesty's  Colonies,  so  that  the  good  purix)ses  which  they 
severally  had  in  view  for  the  support  and  extension  of  the  Reformed 


78  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Religion  in  these  remote  countries  were  like  to  be  greviously  affected 
by  the  want  of  fit  persons  to  send  forth  as  instructors  and  teachers. 
That  from  a  deep  sense  of  these  growing  evils  the  two  Seminaries  afore- 
said, distant  about  100  miles  from  each  other  were  begun  in  two  of  the 
most  important  and  populous  trading  cities  in  his  Majesty's  American 
Dominions,  nearly  at  the  same  time  and  with  the  same  view,  not  so 
much  to  aim  atany  high  improvements  in  knowledge  as  to  guard  against 
total  ignorance;  to  instil  in  the  minds  of  youth  just  principles  of  Re- 
ligion, Loyalty  and  Love  of  our  excellent  Constitution;  to  instruct  them 
in  such  branches  of  knowledge  and  useful  artsas  are  necessary  to  trade, 
agriculture  and  a  due  improvement  of  his  Majesty's  valuable  Colonies; 
and  to  assist  in  raising  up  a  succession  of  faithful  instructors  and  teach- 
ers to  be  sent  forth  not  only  among  his  Majesty's  subjects  there,  but 
also  among  his  Indian  Allies,  in  order  to  instruct  both  in  the  way  of 
truth,  to  save  them  from  the  corruptions  of  the  enemy,  and  help  to  re- 
move the  reproach  of  suffering  the  emissaries  of  a  false  religion  to  be 
more  zealous  and  propagating  their  slavish  and  destructive  tenets  in 
that  part  of  the  world,  than  Britons  and  Protestants  are  in  promoting 
the  pure  form  of  godliness  and  the  glorious  plan  of  public  liberty  and 
happiness  committed  to  them. 

That  for  the  better  answering  these  great  and  important  piu-poses 
the  aforesaid  Seminaries  are  under  the  direction  of  the  chief  oflicers  of 
government  sundry  of  the  Clergy  of  different  denominations,  and  other 
persons  of  distinction  in  the  respective  cities  where  they  are  idaced, 
and  their  usefulness  has  been  so  generally  felt  and  acknowledged,  that 
amidst  all  the  calamities  of  an  expensive  war  near  ten  thousand  pounds 
sterling  have  been  contributed  in  each  of  the  said  Provinces  to  their 
support,  and  some  hundieds  of  youth  continually  educated  on  charity 
and  otherwise;  But  as  designs  of  so  extensive  a  nature  have  seldom 
been  completed  in  the  most  wealthy  kingdoms,  unless  by  the  united 
generosity  of  private  benefactors  and  often  by  the  particular  bounty 
of  soveriegn  ijrinces,  the  Petitioners  are  persuaded  it  will  not  be  thought 
strange  that  all  the  resources  in  the  power  of  individuals  in  young 
Colonies  should  be  found  inadequate  to  such  a  work,  and  that  the  Gov- 
ernors and  Trustees  of  the  said  Seminaries  should  have  the  just  appre- 
hension of  seeing  all  that  they  have  raised  for  their  support  speedily 
exhausted  and  an  end  put  to  their  usefulness^  unless  they  can  procure 
assistance  from  distant  places,  as  the  expense  of  each  of  them  is  four  hun- 
dred pounds  sterling  yearly  above  their  income;  the  defraying  of  which 
would  require  an  additional  capital  of  above  six  thousand  pounds  sterling 
apiece. — That,  under  such  circumstances,  at  a  time  when  the  signal 
success  of  his  Majesty's  Arms  in  America  opens  a  new  field  for  the 
advancement  of  divine  knowledge  there,  and  renders  the  design  of 
such  Seminaries  more  peculiarly  important,  it  was  hoped  that  benefac- 
tors would  not  be  wanting  to  give  that  kind  assistance  to  pious  foun- 
dations in  his  Majesty's  Colonies,  which  has  always  been  so  readily 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.      79 

bestowed  upon  every  design  of  a  like  kind  in  these  kingdoms,  and 
seldom  denied  to  Protestant  brethren  even  in  foreign  nations — That 
the  Petitioners  being  accordingly  appointed  to  solicit  and  receive  such 
assistance,  and  being  sensible  that  the  highest  satisfaction  which  his 
Majesty's  known  piety  and  humanity  can  derive  from  the  pro8i)erity 
and  extension  of  his  dominions  will  be  to  see  these  advantages  improved 
for  enlarging  the  sphere  of  Protestantism  increasing  the  number  of 
good  men,  and  bringing  barbarous  nations  within  the  pale  of  Religion 
and  Civil  Life;  they  are  therefore  encouraged  humbly  to  pray — That 
his  Majesty  will  be  pleased  to  direct  that  a  lioyal  Brief  may  be  passed 
under  the  Great  Seal  of  Great  Britain,  authorizing  them  to  make  a 
collection  throughout  the  kingdom,  from  house  to  house,  for  the  joint 
and  equal  benefit  of  the  two  Seminaries  and  Bodies  Corporate. — 

His  Majesty  taking  the  same  into  his  royal  consideration,  and  being 
willing  to  give  encouragement  to  every  design  that  may  tend  to  the 
good  of  his  Colonies  and  the  advancement  of  Religion  and  Virtue,  is 
graciously  pleased,  with  the  advice  of  his  Privy  Council,  to  Order,  as 
it  is  hereby  Ordered — That  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord  High  Chan- 
cellor of  Great  Britain  do  cause  Letters  Patent  to  be  prepared  and 
passed  under  the  Great  Seal  for  the  collections  of  the  charity  of  all 
well  disposed  persons  for  the  assistance  and  benefit  of  the  said  two 
Seminaries,  according  to  the  prayer  of  the  said  Petition. 

(Signed)  W.  Shabpb. 


VI. 


[Joint-Letter  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Thos.  and  Rirhard  Penn,  and  the  Rev.  Samnel 
Chandler,  D.  D.,  relative  to  the  collection  made  in  England  and  the  criminal  foundation  of  the  Acad- 
emy.] 

To  the  Trustees  of  the  College  etc.  of  Philadelphia. 

Gentlemen,  We  cannot  omit  the  opportunity  which  Dr.  Smith's 
return  to  Philadelphia  give  us  of  congratulating  you  on  the  great  suc- 
cess of  the  collection  which  he  came  to  pursue,  and  of  acknowledging 
your  obliging  addresses  of  thanks  to  us  for  the  sh.are  we  had  in  recom- 
mending and  encouraging  this  design.  Such  a  mark  of  your  attention 
to  us  will,  we  doubt  not,  excuse  our  hinting  to  you  what  we  think  may 
be  farther  necessary  to  a  due  improvement  of  this  collection  and  the 
further  prosperity  of  the  Institution  under  your  care. 

This  Institution  you  have  professed  to  have  been  originally  founded 
and  hitherto  carried  on  for  the  general  benefit  of  a  mixed  body  of 
people.  In  his  Majesty's  Royal  Brief,  it  is  represented  as  a  Seminary 
that  would  be  of  great  use  for  raising  up  able  instructors  and  teachers, 
jis  well  as  for  the  service  of  the  Society  for  propagating  the  Gospel  in 
foreign  parts,  as  for  other  Protestant  denominations  in  the  Colony. 


80  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

At  the  time  of  granting  tliis  collection,  which  was  solicited  by  the 
Provost,  w  ho  is  a  Clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  it  was  known 
that  there  were  united  with  him  a  Vice  Provost  who  is  a  Presbyterian, 
and  a  principal  Professor  of  the  Baptist  Persuasion,  with  sundry  in- 
ferior Professors  and  Tutors,  all  carrying  on  the  education  of  youth 
with  great  harmony;  and  people  of  various  denominations  have  here- 
upon contributed  liberally  and  freely. 

But  jealousies  now  arising  less  this  foundation  should  afterward  be 
narrowed  and  some  party  endeavor  to  exclude  the  rest,  or  put  them  on 
a  worse  footing  than  they  have  been  from  the  beginning,  or  were  at 
the  time  of  this  collection,  which  might  not  only  be  deemed  unjust  in 
itself,  but  might  likewise  be  productive  of  contentions  unfriendly  to 
Learning  and  hurtful  to  Religion;  we  would  therefore  recommend  it  to 
you  to  make  some  fundamental  Eule  or  Declaration  to  prevent  incon- 
veniences of  this  kind;  in  doing  of  which,  the  more  closely  you  keep  in 
view  the  plan  on  which  the  Seminary  was  at  the  Time  of  obtaining  the 
Royal  Brief,  and  on  which  it  has  been  carried  on  from  the  beginnuig, 
so  much  the  less  cause  we  think  you  will  give  for  any  party  to  be  dis- 
satisfied. 

Wishing  continual  prosperity  and  peace  to  the  Institution,  we  are 
with  great  Regar.d,  Gentlemen  Your  faithful  Friends  &  Servants 

Tho.  Cant. 
Tho.  &  ElCH  Penn. 
Sam  Chandler. 

London  April  9th  1764. 

I  as  a  Trustee  approve  of  this  Letter. 

Witness  my  Hand 

Will:  Allen 


VII. 


[The  fnndr.mental  Resolve  or  Declaration  of  the  Trustees  of  the  College,  etc.  not  to  narrow  theorig^ 

inal  foundation.] 

In  consequence  of  the  foregoing  letter,  a  Committee  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  Trustees  to  frame  a  fundamental  Resolve  or  Declaration 
and  on  the  14th  of  June,  1765,  the  following  was  submitted  to  the  Trus- 
tees, read  and  agreed  to : 

"The  Trustees  being  ever  desirous  to  promote  the  Peace  and  Pros- 
perity of  this  Seminary,  and  to  give  satisfaction  to  all  its  worthy  bene- 
factors, have  taken  the  above  Letter  into  their  serious  consideration 
and  perfectly  approving  the  sentiments  therein  contained,  do  order  the 
same  to  be  inserted  in  their  books,  that  it  may  remain  perpetually 
declaratory  of  the  present  wide  and  excellent  plan  of  this  Institution, 
which  hath  not  only  met  with  the  approbation  of  the  great  and  worthy 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      81 


personages  above  mentioned,  but  even  the  Royal  Sanction  of  his  Maj- 
esty himself.  They  further  declare  that  tliey  \rill  keep  this  plan  closely 
in  their  view  and  use  their  utmost  endeavors  tliat  the  same  be  not  nar- 
rowed, nor  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  or  those  dissenting 
from  them  in  any  future  election  to  the  principal  offices  menficmed  in 
the  aforesaid  Letter  be  put  on  any  worse  footing  in  tliis  Seminary  than 
they  were  at  the  time  of  obtaining  the  Royal  Brief.  They  subscribe 
this  with  their  names  and  ordain  that  the  same  l)e  read  and  subscribed 
by  every  new  Trustee  that  shall  hereafter  be  elected  before  he  takes 
liis  seat  at  the  Board." 


Richard  Peters,  President,   June 

U,  1764. 
James  Hamilton,  June  14,  1764. 
Thomas  White,  eTune  14,  1764. 
Amos  Strettell,  June  14, 1764. 
Thomas  Cadwalader,  June  14, 1764. 
Thomas  Willing,  June  14,  1764. 
Tlieophilus  Bond,  June  14,  1764. 
John  Redman,  June  14, 1764. 
Wm.  Coxe,  June  14,  1764. 
WilUam  Plumsted,  June  14,  1764. 
Phineas  Bond,  June  14, 1764. 
Benjamin  Chew,  June  14,  1764. 
Edward  Shippen,  junior,  June  14, 

1764. 
William  Coleman,  June  14,  1764. 
Joseph  Turner,  June  14,  1764. 
Jacob  Duche,  June  14,  1764. 
Lynford  Lardner,  June  14,  1764. 
Benjamin  Franklin,  June  14,  1764. 
William  Shippen,  June  14,  1764. 
Alexander  Stedman,  June  14, 1764. 
John  Inglis,  Sept.  11,  1764. 
John  Penn,  Oct.  9,  1764. 
John  Lawrence,  Kov.  19,  1765. 
John  Allen,  May  30,  1769. 
1180 6 


William  Jones,  May  24, 1771. 

Richard  Penn. 

Samuel  Powel. 

Thomas  Mifflin. 

William  White. 

James  Tilghman. 

Robert  Morris. 

Francis  Hopkinson. 

George  Clymer. 

Alexander  Wilcocks. 

John  Cadwalader. 

James  Wilson. 

Thomas    Fitzsimmons,    Mar.    13, 

1789. 
Henry  Hill,  Mar.  13,  1789. 
Robert  Blackwell,  Mar.  13,  1789. 
Samuel  Miles,  Mar.  13,  1780. 
William  Bingham,  Mar.  16,  1789. 
William  Lewis,  Mar.  16, 1789. 
John  Nixon,  Mar.  23,  1789. 
Robert  Hare,  Mar.  23,  1789. 
Caspar  Wistar,  jr..  Mar.  23,  1789. 
Richard  Peters,  Mar.  31,  1789. 
Edward  Bond,  June  26,  1790. 
David  H.  Cunningham,  xVug.  17, 

1790. 


82  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 


VIII. 

Report  of  the  Committee  appointed  by  the  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Pcntisyhmnia,  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  the  College  of  Philadel- 
phia. 

We  the  Committee  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  tlie  College 
of  Philadelphia  beg  leave  to  report,  that  having  made  inquiry  into  the 
Foundation  and  State  of  the  said  College,  do  find  that  the  said  College 
was  instituted  uj)on  a  broad  and  catholic  Foundation  having  equal  re- 
spect to  all  denominations  of  christians,  That  the  same  was  endowed 
by  the  charitable  donations  of  well  disposed  people,  jmblic  lotteries  and 
general  benevolence  of  all  Societies. 

That  the  Charter  of  said  College  contains  a  special  clause,  providing 
that  the  Trustees  thereof  shall  take  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  King 
of  Great  Britain,  before  they  can  proceed  to  any  official  act, — that 
divers  of  the  late  Trustees  of  the  said  College  have  during  the  present 
contest  with  Great  Britain  joined  the  British  Army  and  now  stand 
attainted  as  traitors — that  the  said  Corporation  in  its  general  manage- 
ment and  conduct  has  shown  an  evident  hostility  to  the  present  Gov- 
ernment anrl  Constitution  of  this  State,  and  in  divers  particulars, 
enmity  to  the  common  cause. — That  the  funds  thereof  are  now  utterly 
inadequate  to  the  purposes  of  Education,  and  will  require  some  further 
support  to  give  it  that  utility,  credit  and  respect  which  a  Seminary  of 
Learning  ought  to  have.  That  by  an  Act  of  Assembly  of  the  13th.  of 
June  1777  entitled  "An  Act  to  oblige  etc."  Divers  of  the  Trustees  be- 
came disqualified  to  act  officially,  and  your  Committee  have  been 
advised  that  the  disqualifications  have  not  been  removed  by  any  sub- 
sequent Act.  That  your  Committee  also  have  sufficient  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  the  fair  and  original  plan  of  equal  privileges  to  all  denomi- 
nations hath  not  been  fully  adhered  to. 

From  all  these  circumstances  your  Committee  are  of  opinion  that 
there  would  l)e  sufficient  ground  to  model  the  Charter  and  Govern- 
ment of  the  said  College  so  as  to  answer  the  original  purpose  of  the  said 
Institution.  But  when  it  is  considered  that  Universitie<>  and  Colleges 
have  a  powerful  influence  on  the  interest  and  government  of  every 
Stsite  5(nd  that  the  safety  and  happiness  of  the  people  are  closely  con- 
nected with  and  dependent  u])on  the  education  of  youth,  your  Commit- 
tee are  of  opinion  that  a  Bill  should  be  brought  in  effectually  to  pro- 
vide suitable  funds  for  the  said  College  to  secure  to  every  denomina- 
tion of  christians  equal  privileges  and  establish  the  said  College  on  a 
liberal  foundation  in  which  the  interests  of  American  Liberty  and  In- 
dependence will  be  advanced  and  promoted  and  obedience  and  respect 

to  the  Constitution  of  the  State  preserved. 

Jo:  Gardner 

John  Smilie 

Wm,  Hollingshead, 


John  Moiiuis  Junior,  ClerTx, 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.      83 

IX. 

[The  act  of  Nov.  27,  1779,  dispossessing  the  Trustees  of  the  Collei:e  of  Philadelphia  of  thoir  charter 

privileges  and  estates.] 

An  Act  to  confirm  the  estates  and  interests  of  the  college^  academy^  and 
charitable  school  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia^  and  to  amend  and  alter  the 
charters  thereof  conformably  to  the  revolution  and  to  the  constittition 
and  government  of  this  commonicealthy  and  to  erect  the  same  into  a  uni- 
versity. 

Section  1.  WHEREAS  the  education  of  yoiitli  lias  ever  been  found 
to  be  of  the  most  essential  consequence,  as  well  to  the  good  government 
of  states,  and  the  peace  and  welfare  of  society,  as  to  the  profit  and  or- 
nament of  individuals,  insomuch  that  from  the  experience  of  all  ages,  it 
appears  that  seminaries  of  learning,  when  jnoperly  conducted,  have 
been  publick  blessings  to  mankind,  and  that  on  the  contrary,  when  in 
the  hands  of  dangerous  and  disaflfected  men,  they  have  troubled  the 
peace  of  society,  shaken  the  government,  and  often  caused  tumult,  se- 
dition, and  bloodshed. 

Section  2.  And  whereas  the  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school 
of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  were  at  first  founded  on  a  plan  of  free  and 
unlimited  Catholicism;  but  it  appears  that  the  trustees  thereof,  by  a 
vote  or  by-law  of  their  board,  bearing  date  the  fourteenth  day  of  June- 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-four,  have 
departed  from  the  plan  of  the  original  founders,  and  narrowed  the  foun- 
dation of  the  said  institution. 

Section  3.  Be  it  therefore  enacted,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted,  by  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  freemen  of  the  commonweaWi  of  Pennsylvania,  in  gen- 
eral assembly  met,  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same.  That  the  charter  of 
the  said  seminary,  granted  by  the  late  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania, 
bearing  date  the  thirtieth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  fifty-three,  whereby  certain  persons  were  in- 
corporated by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  The  Trustees  of  the  Academy 
and  Charitable  School  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  addi 
tional  charter,  granted  by  the  same  iiroprietaries,  bearing  date  on  the 
foiu'teenth  day  of  ^lay,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty-five,  by  which  the  trustees  of  the  same  academy  and 
charitable  school  were  again  incorporated,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title 
of  The  Trustees  of  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  together  with  all 
and  singular  the  rights,  powers,  imvileges,  emoluments,  and  advan 
tages,  and  also  all  the  estates,  claims,  and  demands  to  the  same  coriwra- 
tion  belonging  discharged  from  the  afore  recited  vote  or  by-law  of  the 
said  trustees,  confining  and  narrowing  the  true  and  original  plan  of  the 
said  institution,  which  vote  or  by-law,  and  all  others,  contrary  to  the 
true  design  and  spirit  of  the  said  charter,  are  hereby  declared  to  be 


84  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

void,  be  and  they  are  in  and  by  this  act,  ratified  and  confirmed  to,  and 
for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  same  seminary  for  ever. 

Section  4.  And  to  the  end  that  the  trustees  herein  alter  named  and 
appointed  may  be  the  better  enabled  to  effectuate  the  pious  and  praise- 
worthy desig^ns  of  the  founders,  benefactors,  and  contributors  of  the 
said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school  of  Philadelphia, 

Section  5.  Be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  it 
shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  supreme  executive  council  of  this  state 
to  reserve  such  and  so  many  of  the  confiscated  estates,  yet  unsold  and 
unapproi)riated,  as  to  them  shall  appear  necessary,  in  order  to  create  a 
certain  fiind  for  the  maintenance  of  the  provost,  vice-provost,  masters 
and  avSsistants,  and  to  uphold  and  preserve  the  charitable  school  of  the 
said  university. 

Section  fi.  Provided  always,  That  the  yearly  income  of  such  estates, 
80  reserved  and  appropriated,  to  the  use  of  the  said  university,  do  not 
exceed  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  pounds,  computing  wheat  at  the  rate 
often  shillings  per  bushel. 

Section  7.  And  provided  also,  That  such  reservation  be  from  time 
to  time  laid  before  the  general  assembly  of  this  state,  for  their  appro- 
bation and  confirmation. 

Section  8.  Provided  altcays,  and  be  it  enacted  by  the  authority  afore- 
said, That  the  ratifying  and  confirming  the  said  charter,  or  any  thing 
herein  contained,  shall  not  extend  or  be  construed  to  extend  to  the  con- 
firmation or  establishing  of  any  of  the  said  trustees,  in  the  said  charter 
named,  or  deriving  by  any  election,  or  pretended  election,  or  appoint- 
ment by,  from,  or  under  them,  or  any  of  them,  nor  to  any  provost,  vice- 
provost,  professor,  or  other  minister  or  officer  of  the  said  seminary, 
other  than  such  as  are  hereby,  or  may  hereafter  be  appointed,  (the  said 
board  and  the  faculty  being  hereby  dissolved  and  vacated)  nor  shall  the 
same  extend  to  such  parts  of  the  charter,  as  in  and  by  this  act  are  or 
may  be  abrogated,  annulled,  alteVed  or  supplied. 

Section  0.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
from  and  after  the  passing  of  this  act,  the  superintendence  and  trust, 
together  with  all  and  singular  the  ])owers,  authorities  and  estates,  real, 
personal  and  mixed,  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school, 
shall  pass  to,  devolve  upon,  and  be  vested  in  the  president  of  the  su- 
I)reme  executive  council  of  this  commouwealth,  the  vice  president  of 
the  same  council,  the  speaker  of  the  general  pssembly,  the  chief  justice 
of  the  supreme  court  of  judicatuie,  the  .judge  of  admiralty,  and  the 
attorney-general  for  the  time  being,  in  virtue  of  their  several  offices, 
and  the  senior  minister  in  standing  of  the  episcopal  churches  and  con- 
gregations, and  the  senior  minister  in  standing  of  the  presbyterian 
churches,  and  the  senior  minister  in  standing  of  the  baptist  churches, 
and  the  senior  minister  in  standing  of  the  Lutheran  churche»s,  and  the 
senior  minister  in  standing  in  the  Geiman  Calvinist  churches,  and  the 
senior  minister  in  standing  in  the  Bomau  churches,  whose  churches  or 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.      85 

houses  of  publick  worship  are  or  shall  be  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
or  within  two  miles  of  the  old  court  house  on  High  street,  in  the  said 
city,  together  with  the  honourable  Benjamin  Franklin,  doctor  of  laws, 
minister  plenipotentiary  from  the  United  States  of  America  to  his  most 
christian  majesty ;  the  honourable  William  Shippen,  Fretlerick  Muhl 
enberg  and  James  Searle,  esquires,  delegates  in  the  congress  of  the 
said  United  States  for  Penusylvania;  the  honourable  William  Augus- 
tus Atlee,  esquire,  and  the  honourable  John  Evans,  es(iuire,  justices  of 
the  supreme  court  of  judicature;  Timothy  Matlack,  esquire,  secretary 
of  the  supreme  executive  council  of  this  state;  David  Rittenhouse, 
esquire,  treasurer  of  this  state;  Jonathan  Bayard  Smith,  esquire;  Sam- 
uel Morris,  senior,  esquire;  George  Bryan,  esquire;  Thomas  Bond,  doc- 
tor of  physick;  and  James  Hutchinson,  doctor  of  physick;  which  said 
civil  officers,  ministers  of  the  gospel  and  others  herein  mentioned  and 
appointed,  for  and  during  their  continuance  in  the  said  office  and  sta- 
tions respectively,  their  abode  in  this  state,  and  lawful  capacity  to  act, 
and  their  successors  for  ever  hereafter,  shall  be,  remain,  and  continue 
the  trustees  aforesaid,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  The  Tnistees  of 
the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  shall  from  henceforth 
have,  hold,  use,  exercise,  and  enjoy  all  the  powers,  authorities,  and  ad- 
vantages of  the  estates,  rights,  claims,  and  demands  of  the  trustees 
appointed  by,  or  in  pursuance  of  the  charters  of  the  said  corporation, 
or  either  of  them,  instead  of  the  said  trustees  appointed  by,  or  deriving 
under  the  said  charter,  or  pretending  so  to  do,  in  trust,  nevertheless, 
for  the  proper  use  of  the  said  university  forever. 

Section  10.  Provided  always^  That  if  any  trustee  of  the  said  uni- 
versity shall  take  any  charge  or  office  under  the  said  trustees,  other 
than  that  of  treasurer,  his  place  shall  thereby  be  vacated,  and  in  the 
case  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel  taking  such  charge  or  office,  or  neg- 
lecting to  qualify  according  to  the  directions  of  this  act,  within  one 
month  after  personal  notice  given  of  his  coming  to  such  trust,  the  next 
minister  in  seniority,  of  the  same  denomination,  shall  succeed  him,  such 
seniority  to  be  accounted  from  the  time  of  settlement  of  such  person 
as  minister  of  a  congregation  in  or  near  the  said  city. 

Section  11.  Provided  also,  Tliat  in  case  the  choice  of  a  new  trustee, 
in  the  roojn  and  stead  of  any  of  the  persons  last  named,  or  their  suc- 
cessors, shall  be  disallowed  by  the  house  of  assembly  within  six  months, 
the  trustees  shall  be  obliged  to  make  choice  of  some  other  person. 

Section  12.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
instead  of  the  oath  or  affirmation  and  declaration  which  were  enjoined 
and  required  to  be  taken  and  made,  by  the  second  or  additional  charter, 
herein  before  referred  to,  of  the  said  corporation,  by  the  trustees,  pro- 
vost, vice  provost,  and  professors  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and 
charitable  school,  which  oath  or  affirmation  and  declaration,  being  totally 
inconsistent  with  the  independence  and  constitution  of  this  common- 
wealth, are  hereby  abrogated  and  repealed,  the  said  trustees  herein 


86  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

before  appointed,  and  their  snccessors,  and  the  provost,  vice-provost, 
and  professors,  and  every  of  them,  hereafter  to  be  appointed  in  suoTl 
manner  and  form  as  herein  is  directed  and  required,  before  he  or  tliey 
enter  upon  the  duties  of  their  trust  or  ofiice,  shall  before  two  justices  of 
the  peace  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  or  of  some  county  of  this  state, 
take  and  subscribe  the  oath  or  affirmation  prescribed  by  the  fortieth 
section  of  the  constitution  of  this  commonwealth,  to  be  taken  by  the 
officers  of  this  state,  and  also  the  oath  or  affirmation  of  allegiance, 
directed  to  be  taken  by  the  same  officers,  in  and  by  the  seventh  and 
eighth  sections  of  an  act  of  assembly,  made  and  ])assed  the  fifth  day  of 
December,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-eight,  intitled,  ^^A  further  supplement  to  the  act,  intitled,  An  Act 
for  the  further  security  of  the  government,"  and  shall  also  take  an  oath 
or  affirmation  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  trust  of  office  afore- 
said. 

Section  13.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
all  and  every  the  clause  and  clauses  in  the  said  charters,  wherein  and 
whereby  the  trustees  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school 
are  directed  and  enjoined  to  make  their  rules,  ordinances  and  statutes, 
not  repugnant  to  the  laws  in  force  in  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  nor 
to  the  laws  in  force  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  be,  and  they  are 
hereby  annuled,  repealed,  and  made  void ;  and  the  trustees  herein  and 
hereby  appointed,  are  required  and  enjoined  to  review  the  rules,  ordi- 
nances, and  statutes  heretofore  made  by  the  former  trustees  of  the  said 
seminary,  which,  so  far  as  they  are  repugnant  to  the  constitution  and 
laws  of  this  state,  are  hereby  repealed,  and  to  frame  the  same,  if  neces- 
sary, and  all  rules,  ordinances,  and  statutes  hereafter  to  be  made,  con- 
sistent with  the  constitution  and  laws  of  this  commonwealth. 

Section  14.  And  he  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  business  of  the  said  corporation  shall  and  may  be  transacted,  per- 
formed, and  determined  by  the  major  vote  of  a  meeting  of  seven  at  least 
of  the  trustees  api)ointed  by  this  a*;t,  and  their  successors,  duly  notified 
and  called,  other  than  the  choice  of  new  trustees,  the  nominating  and 
constituting,  or  the  dismissing  of  the  future  provost,  vice-provost  ax 
professors,  or  any  of  them;  or  the  alienation  or  leasing  of  real  estates, 
for  more  than  seven  years,  or  any  extraordinary  and  new  expenditure 
of  the  income,  or  other  personal  estate  of  the  said  corporation,  or  the 
altering  any  salary,  or  the  granting  degrees  to  the  scholars  of  the  said 
university,  or  to  other  persons,  or  to  the  making  any  ordinance, 
statute,  or  by-law;  which  several  enumerated  acts  and  doings  may  be 
transacted  and  performe<l  by  a  majority  of  at  least  eleven  of  the  said 
ti-ustees,  duly  notified  and  convened  as  aforesaid,  and  not  otherwise. 

Section  15.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  clause  in  the  first  charter  of  the  said  corporation,  whereby  the 
trustees  thereof  were  limited  to  be  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania,  resid- 
ing within  five  miles  of  the  academy  and  school  aforesaid,  although 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   EELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      87 

license  was  giveu  in  the  said  cbarter,  to  set  up  the  same  at  any  plaee 
within  the  said  province,  which  the  said  trustees  should  judge  to  be 
most  convenient,  so  far  as  the  same  clause  limits  the  appointment  of 
trustees  to  persons  residing-  within  five  miles  of  the  said  academy  and 
school,  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  annulled,  repealed,  and  made  void. 

Section  16.  And  he  it  fvrther  enacted  by  the  mithority  aforesaid,  That 
the  trustees  hereinbefore  appointed,  and  their  successors,  shall  and  may 
ask,  demand,  sue  for,  recover,  and  receive  all  evidences,  mortgages, 
specialties,  deeds,  and  instruments,  and  all  papers,  books  of  account 
and  record,  and  the  library,  philosophical  apparatus,  and  seals  of  the 
said  corporation ;  and  all  debts,  dues,  and  demands  to  the  same  owing, 
belonging,  accruing,  or  appertaining.  And  in  case  any  person  or  per- 
sons having  the  custody  of  the  said  library,  apparatus,  mortgages, 
specialties,  deeds,  or  instruments,  or  other  papers,  books  of  records  of 
the  said  corporation,  or  having  possession  of  the  real  estate  of  the  said 
corporation,  or  any  part  thereof,  sha]J  refuse  to  deliver  up  the  same  wlien 
demanded,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  trustees  of  the  said  college 
to  summon  any  person  so  refusing  before  any  two  justices  of  the  peace 
of  the  city  or  the  county  where  the  said  real  estate  lies,  or  the  detainer 
of  any  of  the  records,  or  other  articles  aforesaid,  resides,  who  are  hereby 
authorized  and  empowered  to  inquire  into  the  said  complaint,  in  a  sum- 
mary way,  and  give  judgment  therein  as  to  them  shall  seem  meet  accord- 
ing to  the  merits  and  justice  of  the  case;  and  if  such  judgment  be  given 
against  the  detainer  of  any  of  the  said  deeds,  specialties,  mortgages 
or  other  articles  before  enumerated,  and  if  such  detainer  shall  still  re- 
fuse to  deliver  the  same,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  said  justices, 
and  they  are  hereby  required  to  commit  such  refuser  to  prison,  there 
to  remain  without  bail  or  mainprise,  until  the  said  judgment  be  com- 
plied with.  And  in  the  case  of  real  estate,  the  said  justices  shall  carry 
such  judgment  into  execution,  by  issuing  a  writ  of  possession  to  the 
sheriff  of  the  county,  in  the  same  manner  as  they  are  authorized  to  do 
by  an  act  of  assembly,  intitled,  "An  Act /or  the  sale  of  goods  di^it  rained 
'■'■for  rent,  and  to  secure  snch  goods  to  the  person  distraining  the  same,  for 
"  the  better  security  of  rents,  and  for  other  purposes  therein  mentioned,'^  in 
case  of  tenants  holding  over  their  terms :  Provided  always.  That  if  either 
of  the  said  parties  shall  demand  a  jury  to  be  summonetl,  to  try  the  sjiid 
matter  in  dispute,  the  said  justices  shall  cause  a  jury  forthwith  to  come 
before  them  thereupon,  in  the  same  manner  as  juries  are  had  in  the  case 
of  tenants  holding  over  their  terms  as  aforesaid ;  and  the  said  justices 
shall  give  judgment  pursuant  to  the  verdict  of  such  jury,  and  proceed 
to  the  execution  thereof,  as  is  herein  and  hereby  directed. 

Section  17.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  civil  officers,  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  other  persons  by  this  act 
constituted  and  appointed  trustees  of  the  said  university,  and  their  suc- 
cessors duly  chosen,  nominated  and  appointed,  be  one  community,  body 
politick  and  corporate,  to  have  perpetual  succession  and  continuance 


88  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

for  ever,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  as  aforesaid,  and  that  by  the  said 
name  they  shall  be  capable  and  able  in  law  to  sue  and  be  sued,  have 
and  make  a  common  seal,  and  the  same  at  their  pleasure  to  break  and 
alter,  to  make  rules  and  statutes,  and  to  do  everything  necessary  and 
needful  for  the  good  government  and  perfect  establishment  of  the  said 
university;  and  the  provost,  vice-provost  and  professors  hereafer  to  be 
ap])ointed  and  constituted  by  the  tmstees  aforesaid,  shall  be  named, 
styled,  and  intitled.  The  Provost,  Vice- Provost,  and  Professors  of  the 
same  University ;  and  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  the  body  or  faculty, 
composed  of  the  said  i>rovost,  vice  provost,  and  professors,  shall  be, 
The  Provost,  Vice-Provost,  and  Professors  of  the  University  of  the 
state  of  Pennsylvania. 

Section  18.  And  he  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid^  That 
the  said  trustees  shall  at  all  times,  when  required,  submit  the  books, 
accounts,  and  economy  of  the  said  corporation,  to  the  free  examination 
of 'visitors  to  be  appointed  from  time  to  time  by  the  representatives  of 
the  freemen  of  this  commonwealth  in  general  assembly  met. 

Section  19.  And  he  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That 
the  ti'ustees  appointed  by  this  act,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  meet  in 
the  hall  of  the  university  aforesaid,  in  the  forenoon  on  the  first  Wed- 
nesday in  December  next,  and  after  being  duly  qualified  as  this  act 
prescribes,  proceed  to  the  execution  of  their  trust. 

John  Bayard,  speaTcer. 

Enacted  into  a  law,  at  Philadelphia,  on  Saturday,  the 
27th  day  of  November,  A.  D.  1779. 

Thomas  Paine,  cleric  of  the  general  assembly. 


X. 

[Act  of  Assembly  passed  6th  of  March,  1789,  reinstating  the  trnstecs  of  the  College,  Academy,  and 
Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia] 

An  Act  to  repeal  part  of  an  act,  intitled,  "J^w  Act  to  confirm  the  Estates 
and  Interests  of  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  and  to  amend  and  alter  the  charters  thereof,  conform- 
ably to  the  revolution  and  to  the  constitution  and  government  of  this 
commomcealth,  and  to  erect  the  same  into  a  University." 

Section  1.  WHEREAS  by  the  constitution  of  this  commonwealth, 
it  is  declared  and  provided,  "  That  all  religious  societies  or  bodies  of 
men,  heretofore  united  or  incorporated  for  the  advancement  of  religion 
or  learning,  or  for  other  pious  and  charitable  purposes,  shall  be  encour- 
aged and  protected,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  privileges,  immunities,  and 
estates,  which  they  were  accustomed  to  enjoy,  or  could  of  right  have  en- 
joyed, under  the  laws  and  former  constitution  of  this  state." 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.       89 

And  tvhereas,  by  two  charters  of  incorporation,  granted  by  the  late 
pro])rietaries  of  Pennsylvania,  tliere  existed  within  this  comnionwealtli, 
on  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  onr  Ixird  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  an  ancient  corp<3ratiou  and 
body  politick,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Col- 
lege, Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  province 
of  Pennsylvania,"  which  corporaticm,  at  the  time  of  passing  the  act, 
herein  after  mentioned,  was  sjeized,  i)ossessed  of,  andintitled  unto  many 
rights  and  franchises,  and  divers  estates,  real,  persf)nal,  and  mixed,  and 
by  the  constitution  and  laws  of  this  state,  was  intitled  to  the  publick 
protection  and  encouragement,  in  the  enjoyment  and  free  use  and  exer- 
cise thereof,  in  conformity  to  the  original  design,  will,  and  intention  of 
the  founders,  donors,  and  benefactors  of  the  said  seminary  of  learning, 
in  the  same  manner  as  it  could  of  right  have  held,  occui)ied,  and  enjoyed 
the  same,  under  the  former  laws  ahd  constitution  of  this  state. 

And  whereas,  by  the  said  herein  after  mentioned  act,  which  was  passed 
on  the  said  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our  Ix»rd 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  the  said  trustees  and 
corporation,  and  also  the  provost,  vice-provost,  professors,  and  all  other 
masters,  teachers,  ministers,  and  otKcers  of  the  said  college,  academy, 
and  charitable  school,  were  without  trial  by  jury,  legal  process,  or  proof 
of  misuser  or  forfeiture,  deprived  of  their  said  charters,  franchises,  and 
estates,  and  the  said  board  of  trustees  and  faculty  were  declared  to  be 
"dissolved  and  vacated,  and  the  superintendence  and  trust,  together 
with  all  and  singular  the  i)owers,  authorities,  and  estates,  real,  personal, 
and  mixed,  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school,  were  by 
the  said  act,  declared  to  i)ass  to,  devolve  up<m,  and  be  vested  in  a  new 
corporation  or  body  politick  thereby  created  *{ind  established,  by  the 
name,  style,  and  title  of  'The  Trustees  of  the  University  of  the  state 
of  Pennsylvania,'  to  have,  hold,  use,  exercise,  and  enjoy  all  the  iwwers, 
authorities,  and  advantages  of  the  estates,  rights,  claims,  and  ilemands 
of  the  trustees  heretofore  appointed  by  or  in  imrsuance  <»f  the  char- 
ters of  the  said  (ancient)  corporation  or  either  of  them;"  all  which  is 
repugnant  to  justice,  a  violation  of  the  constitution  of  this  cx)mmon- 
wealth,  and  dangerous  in  its  precedent  to  all  iucori>orated  bodies,  and 
to  the  rights  and  franchises  thereof. 

Section  2.  Be  it  therefore  enacted,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  freemen  of  the  common  ireaJth  of  Pennsylrania  in  gen- 
erai  assembly  met,  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same.  That  so  much  and  all 
such  parts  of  an  act  of  general  assembly  of  this  commonwealth,  passed 
on  the  said  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thoTisand  seven  hundred  and  seventy  nine,  intitled,  "An  Act  to 
contirm  the  estates  and  interests  of  the  college,  academy,  and  charita- 
ble school  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  to  amend  and  alter  the  char- 
ters thereof,  conformably  to  the  revolution  and  to  the  constitution  and 
government  of  this  commonwealth,  and  to  erect  the  same  into  a  uni- 


90  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

versity,"  as  touch,  or  in  any  wise  concern,  or  relate  to  the  said  ancient 
corporation,  which  was  styled  and  known  by  the  said  name  and  title  of 
"The  Trustees  of  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Phil- 
adelphia, in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,"  or  the  said  charters  thereof, 
or  either  of  them,  or  as  touch  or  in  any  wise  concern  or  relate  to  the 
former  rights,  franchises,  immunities,  or  estates,  real,  personal,  or  mixed 
thereof,  or  as  tend  to  disqualify  or  disable  the  said  trustees  to  act  as  a 
body  politick,  under  the  charters  aforesaid,  or  to  disqualify,  deprive,  or 
disable  the  body  and  faculty  of  the  college  and  academy,  known  and 
distinguished  in  the  charter,  dated  the  fourteenth  day  of  May,  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  fifty -five,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  "The 
Provost,  Vice-Provost,  and  Professors  of  the  College  and  Academy  of 
Philadelphia,  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,"  or  any  of  them,  from 
carrying  on  the  design  and  purposes  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and 
charitable  school,  or  to  disfranchise  or  deprive  them,  or  any  of  them,  of 
any  privileges,  immunities,  or  estates,  whatsoever,  or  of  any  part  or  par- 
cel thereof,  or  as  vests  the  same  or  purports  and  intends  to  vest  the 
same,  or  any  part  or  parts  thereof,  in  ''  The  Trustees  of  the  University 
of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,"  shall  be,  and  the  same  and  every  such 
part  and  parts  thereof,  is  and  hereby  are  repealed  and  made  null  and 
void,  to  all  intents  and  purposes  whatsoever. 

Section  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  autlwrity  aforesaid^  That 
the  trustees  of  the  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school  aforesaid, 
who  were  deprived  and  disabled,  or  intended  so  to  be,  by,  and  in  pur- 
suance of  the  said  act,  and  the  survivors  of  them  and  their  successors, 
by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  "The  Trustees  of  the  College,  Academy, 
and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  commonwealth  of  Penn- 
sylvania," and  the  provost,  vice  provost,  and  "professors,  who  as  a 
faculty,  were  deprived  and  disabled,  or  intended  so  to  be,  by,  and  in 
pursuance  of  the  said  act,  and  the  survivors  of  them  and  their  successors, 
by  the  name  and  style  of  "  The  Provost,  Vice-Provost,  and  Professors 
of  the  College  and  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania,"  shall  be  reinstated  and  restored,  and  they  and  each  of 
them  are  hereby  reinstated  and  restored  to  all  and  singular  the  rights, 
franchises,  emoluments,  offices,  trusts,  and  estates,  real,  personal,  and 
mixed,  which  tliey  and  each  of  them  held  and  enjoyed,  or  ought  or 
could  of  right  have  had,  held,  and  enjoyed,  or  were  intitled  unto,  ac- 
cording to  the  said  charters  find  the  laws  and  constitution  of  this  state, 
on  the  said  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine;  and  they  and  each  of 
them  and  their  successors,  shall,  and  may  ask,  demand,  sue  for,  recover 
and  receive  the  same  and  each  and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  and 
shall  hold  and  enjoy,  use,  and  exercise  the  same,  and  every  part  and 
parcel  thereof,  in  the  same  manner  and  as  fully  and  freely  as  if  the  said 
act  had  never  been  passed.  Excepting  always,  so  much  of  the  rents, 
issues,  and  profits  of  the  said  real  estate  and  estates,  as  were  received 


'      IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.      91 

by  the  said  trustees  of  the  university  before  the  second  day  of  March 
instant,  which  shall  be  considered,  and  they  are  hereby  considered,  as 
having  been  duly  laid  out  by  and  expended,  in  the  education  of  youth, 
and  therefore  no  account  shall  be  rendered  thereof;  and  excepting  aluo, 
such  sum  or  sums  of  money  as  have  been  paid  in  discharge  of  the  just 
debts,  contracts,  and  engagements  of  them,  "The  Trustees  of  the  said 
College,  Academy,  and  Cliaritable  School,"  entered  into  and  subsisting 
on  or  before  the  said  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine;  and  excepting 
also,  ^nch  bonds,  mortgages,  and  other  specialties,  of  the  former  estate 
of  the  said  last  mentioned  trustees,  as  have  been  transferred,  can- 
celled, or  discharged  by  theju,  the  trustees  of  the  university,  for  the 
value  of  which  only  (without  any  account  of  the  interest,  actually  re- 
ceived) they  shall  be  accountable  to  the  trustees  of  the  said  college, 
academy,  and  charitable  school;  and  excepting  lastly,  certain  lots  of 
ground  in  the  town  of  Norris,  and  county  of  Montgomery,  which  were 
given  for  the  publick  use  and  service  of  the  said  county,  and  certain 
other  lots  which  have  been  contracted  for,  sold,  and  conveyed  by  the 
said  trustees  of  the  university,  for  the  purpose  of  building  and  improv- 
ing in  the  said  town;  for  the  value  of  which  lots  only  as  they  were  con- 
tracted for,  sold,  and  payment  received  by  the  said  trustees,  they  shall 
be  liable  and  accountable  to  the  trustees  of  the  said  college,  academy, 
and  charitable  school,  and  the  said  lots  and  every  of  them  shall  be,  and 
hereby  are  confirmed,  to  the  several  purchasers  thereof,  on  the  pay- 
ment of  the  purchase  money  and  arrears  thereof,  yet  due  to  the  trustees 
of  the  sai<l  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school,  in  the  same  manner 
as  such  purchase  money  and  arrears  thereof  yet  due,  ought  to  have 
been  paid  to  the  trustees  of  the  said  university,  according  to  the  sev- 
eral contracts  for  the  sale  and  conveyance  of  the  said  lots  duly  and 
bonajide  made  by  them  before  the  third  day  of  February  last. 

Section.  4.  And  he  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  trustees  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school  and 
their  successors,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  The  Trustees  of  the 
College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  com- 
monwealth of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  provost,  vice-provost,  and  profes- 
sors of  the  said  college  and  aca^lemy  and  their  successors,  by  the  iiame 
and  style  of  The  Provost,  Vice-Provost,  and  Professors  of  the  College 
and  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
shall  respectively  be  in  titled  to,  and  shall  have  and  pursue  the  like 
speedy,  summary,  and  eflectual  means  and  r«nnedies,  for  regaining  and 
reinstating  themselves  in,  and  for  having  and  possessing  themselves  of 
all  and  singular  the  rights,  franchisees,  offices,  trusts,  and  immunities, 
and  estates,  real,  personal,  and  mixed,  to  which  they  or  either  or  any 
of  them  are  in,  and  by  this  act  restored,  or  which  is  hereby  vested  in 
them  or  either  or  any  of  them,  together  with  all  books,  papers,  and 
writings,  touching  or  concerning  the  same  or  any  part  thereof,  as  were 


y2  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

given,  or  mentioned  and  intended  to  be  given,  in  and  by  the  said  in 
part  recited  act,  and  also  in  and  by  any  other  act  or  acts  of  general 
assembly  of  this  commonwealth,  to  the  trustees  of  the  university  there- 
in mentioned,  or  which  they  could  thereby  have  or  pursue  for  acquiring 
or  possessing  themselves  of  all  or  any  part  or  parts  of  the  estate  or 
estates,  real,  personal,  or  mixed,  rights,  franchises,  offices,  trusts,  or 
immunities,  in  and  by  the  said  in  part  recited  act,  transferred  to  or 
vested  in  them  the  said  trustees  of  the  university  aforesaid,  or  of  any 
books,  papers,  or  writings,  relating  thereto;  and  all  and  every  person 
and  persons  are  hereby  enjoined  and  required  to  govern  and  demean 
themselves  accordingly,  under  the  like  i)ains  and  penalties  as  are  in 
and  by  the  said  acts  mentioned. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  hoxise, 

Richard  Peters,  speaker. 
Enacted  into  a  laic,  at  Philadelphia^  on  Friday  the 

sixth  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one 

thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-nine. 
Peter  Zachary  Lloy'D,  clerl-  of  the  general  assembly. 


XI. 


Act  of  Assembly  passed  30th  of  .September,  1791,  uulting  the  University  of  tlie  State  of  Peunsylvauia. 
and  the  College,  Academy  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  under  the  title  of  the  "  University 
of  Pennsylvania. ' '  ] 

An  Act  to  unite  the  university  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  col- 
lege, academy,  and  charitable  school  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  common- 
wealth of  Pennsylvania. 

WHEREAS  the  trustees  of  the  university  of  the  state  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  trustees  of  the  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school  of 
Philadelphia,  in  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  bj^  their  several 
petitions  have  set  forth,  that  they  have  agreed  to  certain  terms  of  union 
of  the  .said  two  institutions,  which  are  as  follow: 

First.  That  the  name  of  the  institution  be  "  The  University  of  Penn- 
sylv^ania,"  and  that  it  be  stationed  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

Second.  That  each  of  the  two  boards  shall  elect,  from  among  them- 
selves, twelve  persons,  who,  with  the  governor  for  the  time  being,  shall 
constitute  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  university  of  Pennsylvania;  and 
that  the  governor  shall  be  president. 

Third.  Tliat  the  professors  which  shall  be  deemed  necessary  to  con 
stitute  the  faculty  in  the  arts  and  medicine,  respectively,  shall  be 
taken  fi-om  each  institution  e(pially;  and  in  case  of  an  odd  number, 
such  one  to  betaken  from  either  by  tlie  choice  of  the  trustees;  and 
that  the  provost  and  vice-provost,  or  the  principal  officer  or  officers  of 
the  faculty,  by  whatever  name  or  names  they  may  be  called,  shall  be 
chosen  from  among  the  professors  so  appointed. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.     93 

Fourth.  That  charity  Hchools  shall  be  supported,  one  for  boys,  and 
the  other  for  girls.  ' 

Fifth.  That  for  the  futme  every  vacancy  in  the  board,  except  that  of 
governor,  sliall  be  filled  up  by  election  by  ballot,  by  a  majority  of  the 
members  present,  at  any  meeting  of  the  new  board,  the  members  present 
to  be  at  least  thirteen;  that  due  and  timely  notice  of  such  election  be 
at  all  times  given,  and  that  no  person  shall  be  elected  to  fill  up  such 
vacancy  at  the  same  meeting  in  which  he  shall  be  nominated. 

Sixth.  That  the  funds  and  property  of  the  institutions  shall  be  united, 
and  vested  in  the  new  trustees.. 

Seventh.  That  the  professors  and  officers  composing  the  faculty  shall 
be  elected  by  a  majority  of  the  members  present  at  any  meeting  of  the 
new  board,  the  number  present  to  be  at  least  thirteen;  that  due  and 
timely  notice  of  such  election  shall  at  all  times  be  given,  and  that  no 
person  or  persons  shall  at  any  time  be  elected  such  professor  or  officer 
at  the  same  meeting  in  which  he  shall  be  nominated. 

Eighth.  That  no  professor  or  officer  of  the  faculty  shall  be  removed 
by  a  less  number  than  two  thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any  meet- 
ing of  the  new  board,  the  members  present  to  be  at  least  thirteen ;  and 
that  due  and  timely  notice  of  such  intended  removal  shall  at  all  times 
be  given,  and  that  no  person  or  persons  shall  at  any  time  be  removed 
jit  the  same  meeting  in  which  such  removal  shall  be  proposed. 

Ninth.  That  the  board  of  trustees  shall  annually  lay  before  such 
persons,  as  the  legislature  shall  in  the  incorporating  act  direct,  a  state 
ment  of  the  funds  of  the  institution. 

And  the  said  trustees  by  their  several  petitions  have  prayed,  that  a 
law  may  be  passed  to  enable  them  to  carry  the  said  terms  of  union  into 
effect,  and  to  incorporate  them  in  one  body,  according  to  the  purpose 
and  intention  expressed  in  the  said  terms  of  union. 

Section  1.  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  senate  and  house  of  representa- 
tives of  the  conimonicealth  of  Pennsylvania  in  general  assembly  met,  and  it 
is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same.  That,  in  pursuance  of  the 
second  article  of  the  said  terms  of  union,  the  trustees  of  the  university 
shall  elect  twelve  persons  from  among  themselves  to  be  trustees  of  the 
said  university  after  the  union,  and  shall  certify  the  names  of  the 
said  twelve  persons,  so  elected,  to  the  governor  of  this  commonwealth, 
on  or  before  the  first  day  of  December  next;  and  that  the  trustees  of 
the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school,  shall  elect  twelve 
persons  from  among  themselves,  to  be  trustees  of  the  said  university 
after  the  union,  and  shall  certify  the  names  of  the  said  twelve  persons, 
so  elected,  to  the  governor  of  this  commonwealth,  on  or  before  the  first 
day  of  December  next. 

Section  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That 
from  and  after  such  certificates  of  the  election  being  so  made  to  the 
governor,  as  aforesaid,  the  said  twenty -four  persons  so  elected  and  cer- 


94  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

tified,  together  with  the  governor  for  the  time  being,  who  shall  always 
be  president,  and  their  successors,  duly  elected  and  appointed,  as  here- 
in and  by  the  said  terms  of  union  is  directed,  be,  and  they  are  hereby 
made  and  constituted  a  corporation  and  body  politick,  in  law  and  in 
fact,  to  have  continuance  for  ever  by  the  aforesaid  name,  style,  and  title 
of  The  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that  the  said 
university  shall  at  all  times  be  stationed  in  the  city  of  Pbiladeli)hia. 

Section  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  said  trustees,  and  their  successors,  shall  be  able  and  capable  in  law 
to  sue  and  be  sued,  by  the  name,  style,  and  title  aforesaid ;  and  to  have 
and  to  make  one  ]mblick  and  common  seal,  and  also  one  private  seal  to 
use  in  their  afl'airs,  and  the  same,  or  either  of  them,  to  break  and  alter 
at  their  pleasure ;  and  to  make  rules  and  statutes  not  repugnant  to  the 
lawsand  constitution  of  this  state,  or  of  the  United  States  of  America, 
and  to  do  everything  needful  and  necessary  to  the  establishment  of  the 
said  university,  and  for  their  own  good  government,  and  the  good  gov- 
ernment and  education  of  the  youth  belonging  to  the  same,  and  to  con- 
stitute a  faculty,  or  learned  body,  to  consist  of  such  head  or  heads,  and 
such  a  number  of  professors  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  in  law,  medi- 
cine, and  divinity,  as  they  shall  judge  necessary  and  proper,  consistent 
with  the  aforesaid  articles  of  union. 

Section  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  Thai;, 
all  and  every  the  estates,  real,  personal,  and  mixed,  moneys,  effects, 
debts,  claims,  and  demands,  either  in  law  or  equity,  which  at  present 
are  vested  in,  or  belong  to  each  of  the  two  boardsof  trustees  of  the  said 
university,  and  of  the  said  college,  academy,  and  charitable  school,  who 
are  hereby  united  and  incorporated  together,  shall  be,  and  they  hereby 
are,  transferred  to  and  vested  in  the  said  trustees  herein  directed  to  be 
appointed  and  incorporated,  and  their  successors,  with  full  power  to  take, 
receive,  hold,  use,  recover,  and  enjoy  the  same,  according  to  the  pur- 
pose, true  intent,  and  meaning  of  this  aet,  and  that  in  like  maimer,  all 
claims,  rights,  and  demands,  of  any  person  or  personsj  bodies  politick 
and  corpoTate,  against  either  ofthesaidtwoboards,  shall  be,  and  remain 
valid  and  effectual  against  the  trustees  herein  dire(;ted  to  be  appointed 
and  incorporated,  and  their  successors,  with  power  to  demand,  receive, 
and  recoverthe  same,  as  if  they  had  been  originally  contracted  by,  ordue, 
or  recoverable  from,  the  said  trustees  herein  directed  to  be  appointed 
and  incorporated. 

Section  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That, 
pursuant  to  the  ninth  article  of  the  terms  of  union,  the  trustees  shall 
annually  lay  a  statement  of  the  funds  of  the  institution  before  the  legis- 
lature of  the  commonwealth. 

William  Bingham,  speaker  of  the  hov^e  of  representatives. 
KiCHARD  Peters,  speaker  of  the  senate. 
Approved,  September  the  30th,  1791. 

Thomas  Mefflin,  governor  of  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvam,ia. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO    THE   UNIVERSITY.      95 

In  his  plan  for  the  education  of  youth  in  Pennsylvania  Franklin  out- 
lines his  ideas  of  university  training,  but  all  the  parts  of  the  Proposals 
are  not  wholly  after  Franklin's  ideas.  Franklin  discovered  that  his 
idea  of  an  English  school  education  was  not  sufficient  to  win  the  finan- 
cial support  of  all  the  subscribers.  Many  of  them  thought  that  pro- 
vision should  be  made  for  the  study  of  tlie  ancient  languages,  and  it 
was  in  order  to  gain  the  advantage  of  the  support  of  these  gentlemen 
that  Franklin,  in  his  spirit  of  compromise,  inserted  this  clause: 

When  youth  are  told  that  the  great  men,  whose  lives  and  actions  they  read  in 
history,  spoke  two  of  the  best  languages  that  ever  were,  the  most  expressive,  copi- 
ous, beautiful ;  and  that  the  finest  writings,  the  most  correct  compositions,  the  most 
perfect  productions  of  human  wit  and  wisdom,  are  in  those  languages,  which  have 
endured  for  ages,  and  will  endure  while  there  are  men  ;  that  no  translation  can  do 
them  justice,  or  give  the  jdeasure  found  in  reading  the  originals;  that  those  lan- 
guages contain  all  science;  that  one  of  them  is  become  almost  universal,  being  the 
language  of  learned  men  in  all  countries;  and  that  to  understand  them  is  a  dis- 
tinguishing ornament;  they  may  be  thereby  made  desirous  of  learning  those  lan- 
guages and  their  industry  sharpened  in  the  acquisition  of  them.  All  intended  for 
divinity  should  be  taught  Latin  and  Greek ;  for  physic,  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Trench ; 
for  law,  the  Latin  and  French;  for  merchants,  the  French,  German,  and  Spanish; 
and,  though  all  should  not  be  compelled  to  learn  Latin,  Greek,  or  the  modern  for- 
eign languages,  yet  none  that  have  an  ardent  to  learn  them  should  be  refused ;  their 
English,  arithmetic,  and  other  studies  absolutely  necessary,  being  at  the  same  time 
not  neglected. 

To  strengthen  his  defense  of  English  studies  he  wrote  at  this  time 
his  Sketch  of  an  English  School',  which  was  printed  in  pamphlet  form 
at  his  press  but  did  not  receive  much  attention. .  At  the  opening  of  the 
Academy  Mr.  Peters  preached  a  sermon  which  was  favorably  received 
and  printed  in  pamphlet  form  at  Franklin's  press;  with  characteristic 
sagacity  Franklin  sewed  together  his  pamphlet,  "A  Sketch  of  an  Eng- 
lish School,"  with  Mr,  Peters's  sermon  and  so  got  his  notions  before 
the  public.  Forty  years  after  the  foundation  of  the  Academy,  FranJi- 
lin  wrote  his  Observations  Eelatiug  to  the  Intention^  of  the  Original 
Founders  of  the  Academy  in  Philadelphia,  Avhich  are  appended,  and 
in  which  may  be  found  an  elaboration  of  his  views  with  respect  to  ed- 
ucation. He  anticipated  the  revolt  against  the  classics  which  has  come 
in  our  day  and  has  resolved  Latin  and  Greek  into  the  region  of 
the  dead.  It  is  not  inexpedient  to  say  that  Franklin's  idea  of  study- 
ing such  languages  as  would  be  of  utility  to  those  who  pursued  them 
is  the  correct  principle  in  that  department  of  education.  In  conform- 
ity with  Franklin's  notion  we  have  the  modern  elective  coui'se,  which  is 
the  practical  result  of  Franklin's  challenge  of  the  advantage  and  util- 
ity of  compelling  all  persons  who  pursue  higher  education  to  pursue 
the  same  subjects  in  the  same  way  for  different  ends.  It  will  be  no- 
ticed that  there  is  a  touch  of  humorous  satire  when  Franklin  writes  in  a 
spirit  of  compromise  that  "no  translations  can  do  the  finest  writings 
in  Latin  and  Greek  justice,"  or  give  the  "pleasure  found  in  reading 


i  See  page  36,  supra. 


1)6  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    TENNSYLVANIA. 

the  originals,"  and  that  these  languages  contain  all  science."  It  should 
not  be  forgotten,  however,  that  Franklin  owed  his  fame  to  the  publi- 
cation of  his  electrical  investigations  in  the  Latin  tongue  as  well  as  in 
French,  Spanish,  and  Italian. 

When  he  spoke  for  the  study  of  modern  languages  and  the  resolution 
of  Latin  and  Greek  to  a  secondary  place  in  modern  education,  he  was 
confronting  the  entire  educational  opinion  of  his  times.  The  first  strug- 
gle between  the  old  system  and  Franklin's  ideas  of  the  new  education 
occurred  in  Philadelphia  in  the  very  institution  which  Franklin  had 
been  instrumental  in  founding,  and  the  history  of  that  struggle  is  told 
by  Franklin  himself  two  years  before  his  death. ' 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  Franklin's  plan  of  a  school  there  was  a  pro- 
vision for  the  education  of  poor  children.  He  had  clear  ideas  resi)ecting 
the  education  of  orphans,  and  the  doctrines  of  equity  regulated  his  ideas 
of  charity.  His  Hints  for  Consideration  Respecting  the  Orpha,u  School- 
Houses  in  Philadelphia^  formulate  the  large  experience  of  his  life  in 
charitable  matters.  He  laid  down  controlling  principles  for  such  an 
institution,  as  follows:  (1)  For  the  regular  inspection  of  the  institution; 
(2)  That  the  labor  of  the  orphans  should  not  be  made  for  the  profit  of 
the  establishment;  (3)  That  an  account  should  be  opened  with  each 
orphan,  crediting  him  with  his  labor,  and  debiting  him  for  the  main- 
tenance of  his  education;  (4)  At  his  discharge  on  coming  of  age,  his 
accounts  should  be  balanced,  and  he  should  be  urged  and  in  'honor 
bound  to  pay  any  indebtedness,  and  he  should  receive  any  credit  due 
him;  (5)  Upon  leaving  the  institution,  he  should  receive  decent  cloth- 
ing, some  money,  and,  if  deserving,  a  certificate  of  good  behavior;  (6) 
The  institution  should  aid  him  in  entering  upon  a  business  or  securing 
a  position  in  life.  Stephen  Girard  seems  to  have  been  influenced  by 
these  principles^  in  founding  Girard  College. 

^t  53  Franklin  had  become,  by  the  application  of  his  own  max- 
ims, a  man  of- independent  fortune,  and  much  respected  by  his 
neighbors,  and  of  good  reputation  throughout  the  colonies.  There  had 
been  a  long  and  bitter  dispute  in  Pennsylviinia,  respecting  the  rights 
of  the  Proi^rietaries  and  of  the  Assembly,  chiefly  turning  upon  the  ques- 
tion whether  the  estates  of  the  Penns  should  be  taxed  as  other  realty 
in  the  Province  was  taxed,  Franklin  had  earnestly  and  efiiciently  ad- 
vocated the  rights  of  the  Assembly,  and  it  was  as  their  representative 
that  he  went  to  Pjugland  in  1757,  .His  biographer  remarks  that — 

It  was  Frauklin  who  chiefly  educated  the-  colouirs  in  the  kiiowledgeof  their  rights 
Hedid  this  in  many  ways,  by  his  Junto,  by  hisnewsp.iper,  by  his  conversation,  by  the 
libraries  founded  through  him,  by  the  taste  for  science  which  he  communicated,  but 
especially  by  the  ardor  and  ability  witli  which  he  waged  this  long  warfare  against 
arrogant  stupidity  embodied  in  the  degenerate  offspring  of  William  Penn. 

'See  infra  the  Observations,  etc.  *Sjee  Girard  College,  p,  189^ 

*See  the  Hints,  p.  52,  sujgra.. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      97 

His  experiments  in  electricity  bad  alreaily  been  recognized  in  Eng- 
land and  in  France,  and  lie  was  welcomed  by  the  literary  and  learned 
men  of  the  time.  Franklin's  defects  in  education  were  never  suspected 
by  the  academic  Avorld  that  sought  his  society.'  He  was  a  genius  in  his 
capacity  for  reading,  a  good  listener,  and  though  easy  in  his  manners, 
gay  and  witty,  he  never  sought  to  indulge  the  company  with  "  flashes 
of  silence."  No  sooner  had  he  settled  in  London  than  his  instinct  to 
effect  improvements  showed  itself,  and  smoky  street  lamps  and  filthy 
streets  were  the  object  of  his  attention.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  write 
a  biography  of  Franklin,  nor  even  to  catalogue  his  experiments,  but  by 
reference  to  some  of  them  to  suggest  the  utilitarian  character  of  the  man 
and  the  origin  of  his  educational  ideas. 

The  inattention  of  the  ministry  afforded  him  an  opportunity  for  travel, 
and  in  1757  he  visited  Scotland,  where  the  University  of  St.  Andrews 
conferred  upon  him  the  title  of  Doctor,  by  which  he  has  ever  since  been 
known.  Here  he  met  Hume,  Robertson,  and  Lord  Kames,  and  it  is 
thought  by  one  of  his  biographers  that  Franklin's  remark  to  Dr.  Robert- 
son "suggested  the  well-known  Macaulayan  image  of  the  New  Zea- 
lander  sitting  upon  the  arch  of  London  Bridge  contemplating  the  ruin 
of  St.  Paul's.'' 2 

But  Franklin  was  engaged  in  a  larger  service  for  his  countrymen 
than  the  favorable  acquaintance  of  eminent  men  j  he  was  abnost  con- 
tinually writing  and  printing  pamphlets  on  the  American  Colonies  for 
the  enliglitenment  of  the  English  public.  The  dark  and  dreary  waste 
of  English  opinion  on  the  Americans  at  that  time  seemed  impervious 
to  the  beams  of  Franklin's  genius,  and  he  succeeded  but  feebly  at  first 
in  piercing  that  darkness,  but  the  rays  of  his  intelligence  at  last  fell 
upon  fertile  soil  and  there  sprang  up  a  liberal  party  in  the  kingdom, 
which,  at  last,  laid  hold  of  the  Government  and  compelled  the  acknowl- 
edgment of  American  independence. 

The  usefulness  of  Franklin  at  this  time  may  be  understood  by  any 
who  choose  to  read  his  numerous  pamphlets  and  his  letters.  Frank- 
lin's farsightedness  is  illustrated  in  one  of  his  cherished  opinions  ex- 
pressed to  Lord  Kames,  "that  the  foundations  of  the  future  grandeur 
and  stability  of  the  British  Empire  lie  in  America."  He  opposed  the 
restoration  of  Canada  to  the  French,  saying: 

If  we  keep  it,  all  the  country  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Mississippi  will,  in 
aiu)ther  century,  be  filled  with  British  j.eoplc;  Britain  itself  will  become  vastly 
more  populous,  by  the  inunense  increase  of  its  commerce,  the  Atlantic  Sea  will  be 
covered  with  your  trading  ships,  and  your  naval  power,  thus  continually  increas- 
ing, will  extend  your  influence  round  the  whole  globe  and  awe  the  worhl. 

He  ever  believed  and  labored  to  effect  that  Canatla  and  the  Thirteen 
Colonies  should  comprise  a  political  unit,  and  it  was  only  by  a  blunder 


I  Instance  the  honorary  degrees  he  received  from  William  and  Mary  College,  St. 
Andrew's,  Oxford,  and  Cambridge. 
•  ^Parton. 

1180 7 


98  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

of  his  colleague  in  Paris,  when  the  final  treaty  of  peace  was  made  in 
1783,  that  England  failed  to  include  Canada  with  the  United  States.  • 

Franklin  not  only  educated  the  colonies,  but  he  educated  England, 
and  perhaps  the  most  telling  lesson  that  he  imparted  to  the  British 
public  was  in  his  examination  before  the  House  of  Commons  in  1765. 
For  the  first  time  England  received  true  information  of  the  state  of  the 
colonies,  and  the  information  was  conveyed  to  the  masters  of  England 
themselves.  The  examination  of  Franklin  before  the  House  of  Com- 
mons was  by  no  means  an  accidental  or  impromptu  affair,  but  nearly 
all  the  questions  and  their  answers  were  arranged  beforehand  by 
Franklh)  and  his  friends  among  the  liberal  members  of  Parliament. 
This  attorney-like  proceeding  does  not  affect  the  value  of  the  evidence, 
but  by  timely  shaping  the  examination  it  concentrated,  in  the  brief  pe- 
riod when  Franklin  was  before  the  House,  all  possible  information  that 
could  be  elicited  from  the  best-informed  man  in  the  colonies.  In  this 
examination  Franklin  was  at  home,  and  he  himself  played  the  first  part 
in  the  most  Socratic  dialogue  in  parliamentary  history.  The  whole  ex- 
amination was  after  Franklin's  own  heart,  and  singularly  in  keeping 
with  his  own  self-education.  Experience  and  observation  equipped 
him  for  the  task,  and  his  triumi^h  is  the  proof  of  the  excellence  of  his 
method.' 

Franklin  had  a  unique  method  of  educating  the  British  public,  and 
he  had  learned  it  in  his  apprentice  days  in  Boston  and  during  the  long 
struggle  between  the  assembly  and  the  proprietaries  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  method  is  characteristic  of  all  his  political  writings ;  it  was  by 
briefly  setting  the  whole  question  in  dispute  in  a  humorous  light,  by 
which  the  reader  might  see  his  way  to  the  true  conclusion,  that  is,  the 
conclusion  which  Franklin  wished  drawn.  This  method  of  political  en- 
lightenment is  unquestionably  good  in  journalism  and  in  pamphleteer- 
ing, and  has  its  uses  in  book-making  and  public  speaking;  but  this 
very  tendency  in  Franklin,  it  is  said,  excluded  him  from  being  asked 
by  his  contemporaries  to  write  any  of  the  great  state  papers  of  colonial 
times.  It  would  hardly  do  to  put  a  joke  into  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. Franklin's  English  pamphlets  are  exquisite  political  hits, 
of  which  two  are  particularly  famous:  "Rules  for  reducing  a  Great 
Empire  to  a  Small  One,  Presented  to  a  Late  Minister"  (Lord  Hillsboro, 
when  he  entered  uj>on  his  ministry),  and  "An  Edict  of  the  King  of 
Prussia."  These  two  articles  show  one  phase  of  Franklin  at  great 
advantage.    He  was  the  first  American  humorist. 

Franklin  was  aware  that  public  opinion  is  won  and  controlled  by  the 
most  delicate  and  yet  by  the  broadest  manii)ulation,  and  that  if  he  could 
win  the  favorable  opinion  of  the  British  public  to  American  affairs,  he 
would  control  the  votes  of  the  House  of  Commons.  By  this  procedure 
he  showed  the  practicality  of  his  mind;  he  appealed  to  the  power  in 
England  which  makes  and  unmakes  ministries. 


'Seep.  161.  'Seethe  examiaatioa  in  Bigelow,  Vol.  3,  p.  407. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.       09 

In  appealing  to  this  power  he  did  not  proceed  blindly  by  addressing 
humorous  newspaper  articles  to  the  general  reader;  he  wrote  these 
masterly  articles  for  the  education  of  the  public;  and  he  did  more,  he 
became  the  companion  of  the  first  literary  and  scientific  men  of  Eng- 
land and  won  many  of  them  to  the  support  of  his  liberal  ideas,  n<>t  by 
formal  discussions  of  the  rights  of  the  colonies,  but  by  exemplifying  in 
his  own  character  and  appointments  the  nature  of  American  institu- 
tions which  could  produce  such  a  mail  as  he.  It  is  not  difficult  for  us 
to  realize  how  Franklin  thus  became  the  typical  American  and  won 
respect  for  America  by  winning  respect  for  himself.  Franklin's  chief 
service  to  America  Avas  in  the  experimental  proof  that  the  human  race 
does  not  degenerate  in  this  country,  but  that  it  could  equal,  if  not  sur- 
pass, the  old  country  in  its  productions.^ 

We  must  not  forget  that  Franklin  appeared  in  the  drawing  rooms  of 
London  when  it  was  a  common  doubt  among  English  ladies  whether 
Americans  were  white  or  black,  whether  they  dressed  in  skins  or  wool, 
whether  they  spoke  English  or  Indian,  whether  they  lived  in  houses  or 
wigwams,  and  whether  Philadelphia  did  not  comprise  Pennsylvania. 

Among  the  friends  of  Franklin  in  England  were  Adam  Smith,  who, 
at  the  time  Franklin  met  him,  was  writing  his  classical  work,  "The 
Nature  and  Cause  of  the  Wealth  of  Nations,"  and  David  Hume,  the 
well-known  author  of  a  history  of  England  and  essays  on  politics  and 
philosophy.  In  Watson's  Annals  of  Philadelphia^  it  is  said  that  Dr. 
Franklin  once  told  Dr.  Logan  that  Adam  Smith  when  writing  his 
Wealth  of  Nations  was  in  the  habit  of  bringing  chapter  after  chap- 
ter as  he  composed  it  to  Franklin,  Dr.  Price,  and  others  of  the  literati; 
then  patiently  hear  their  observations  and  profit  by  their  discussions 
and  criticisms,  sometimes  re-writing  whole  chapters,  after  such  con- 
ference, and  even  reversing  some  of  his  propositions.  Hume  is  quoted 
as  writing  to  Adam  Smith  in  1776,  saying,  "Your  work  is  probably 
much  improved  by  your  last 'abode  in  London."  Parton  has  point^Ki 
out  that  Franklin's  papers  at  this  period  "contain  sets  of  problems  and 
queries  as  though  agitated  at  some  meeting  of  philosophers  for  partic- 
ular consideration  at  home."  All  students  of  political  economy  have 
long  known  that  Smith's  "Wealth  of  Nations"  is  the  first  book  that 
illustrates  its  propositions  by  allusicms  to  the  American  colonies. 
Smith's  ideas  were  new  and  he  was  working  out  a  new  system  of 
economics;  in  seeking  a  field  for  the  application  of  his  ideas  it  was 
natural  that  he  should  refer  to  America,  a  new  country,  as  the  region 
where  his  ideas  might  have  a  practical  test. 

It  is  known  that  the  Wealth  of  Nations  was  favorably  received 

!The  incident  of  the  six  tall  Americans  and  the  six  short  Frenchmen  together  at 
dinnei"  is  in  point. 

-See  speciallj-,  Franklin's  idea  of  Labor  as  a  measure  of  wealth,  expanded  by  Smith 
in  Book  I;  and  consult  index  to  "The  Wealth  of  Nations  "  title  "America"  foriUus- 
trations  of  Franklin's  influence  on  Smith. 


100  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

and  had  great  influence  in  centering  the  attention  of  Europe  upon 
America.  It  is  also  known  that  the  statesmen  who  cooperated  in  the 
formation  ot  the  United  States,  Franklin,  Washington,  Jefferson, 
Madison,  Hamilton,  Jay,  Morris,  and  others  were  brought  up  in  the 
new  school  of  Adam  Smith.  The  Wealth  of  J^Tations  had  a  most  im- 
portant influence  in  the  organization  of  government  in  America  (1776 
to  1789) ;  the  doctrines  of  Smith  are  traceable  in  the  debates  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1787  s^nd  references-  to  the  influence  of  the 
Wealth  of  Nations  are  scattered  through  the  works  of  the  statesmen  of 
the  period. ' 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Franklin's  influence  on  economic  edu- 
cation is  illustrative  of  his  whole  educational  doctrine.  He  gave  to 
Adam  Smith  apt  illustrations  of  the  utility  of  the  ideas  of  the  Wealth 
of  Nations.  So  great  had  been  the  changes  in  America  due  to  its  devel- 
opment "that  the  illustrations  in  the  Wealth  of  ISations^  which  bear  par- 
ticularly upon  the  American  colonies  are  now  hardly  estimated  at  their 
original  value;  it  should  be  remembered  that  this  book,  which  Buckle 
calls  "the  most  important  book  ever  written,"  and  "the  most  valuable 
contribution  ever  made  by  a  single  man  toward  establishing  the  prin- 
ciples on  which  governments  should  be  based,"  aa  as  the  first  work  by  a 
European  scholar  which  made  use  of  the  American  colonies  as  apt  ilkis- 
trations  of  its  doctrines  and  pointed  to  those  colonies  as  the  country 
where  the  new  political  economy  should  develop  in  all  its  strength. 
Had  Franklin  done  nothing  else  in  the  world  than  contribute  these 
illustrations  to  Adam  Smith's  book,  he  Avould  have  had  a  high  j)lace 
among  the  great  educators  of  mankind.  As  the  first  book  on  the  eco- 
nomic basis  of  modetn  government  in  America,  the  Wealth  of  Nations 
should  be  classed  with  the  Federalist,  De  Tocqueville's  Democracy  in 
America,  and  Bryce's  American  Commonwealth. 

Franklin  influenced  English  opinion  by  his  association  with  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  times.  A  suggestion  only  can  be  made  of  the  educa- 
tional influence  of  such  association  by  mentioning  some  of  Franklin's 
English  friends.  Particular  examination  of  the  diaries  and  journals 
of  the  public  men  of  the  time  would  illustrate  the  extent  of  Franklin's 
influence;  he  was  intimate  with  Burke,  Hume,  Lord  Kames,  Sir  John 
Pringle,  Dr.  Fothergill,  Dr.  Cannon,  Dr.  Eichard  Price,  Dr.  Priestley, 
and  the  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph's;  Lord  Shelbourne,  the  Marquis  of  Rock- 
ingham, Lord  de  Lespencer,  Lord  Bathurst,  Lord  North,  the  astrouo 
mer  Maskyline,  and  Lord  Morton,  were  among  his  acquaintances.    But 

'Mr.  Joseph  Wharton,  founder  of  the  AVharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  in 
the  University  of  Pennsylvani.n,  has  in  his  possession  Washington's  copy  of  Adam 
Smith's  Wealth  of  Nations,  the  edition  in  four  volumes.  Some  errors  in  the  proof 
are  corrected  in  Washington's  hand  and  there  is  other  evidence  that  he  had  read  the 
work  carefully. 

*Prof.  John  Bach  McMaster  tells  me  that  references  to  the  Wealth  of  Nations  are 
numerous  m  the  newspapers  and  pamphlets  of  this  period,  1777-17d0.     [Editor.] 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      101 

it  was  with  Dr.  Priestley,  Dr.  Shipley,  the  bishop  of  St.  Asaph,  and 
David  Hume,  that  Franklin  was  most  intimat<^. 

A  conversation  between  Franklin  and  Priestley  isj-e<!orded  when  one 
evening,  at  the  Royal  Society,  the  question  arose  as  to  what  was  the 
most  desirable  invention  that  remained  to  be  made.  To  which  Frank- 
lin replied,  "the  spinning  of  two  threads  at  the  same  time."  We  are 
told  that  before  Franklin  left  London,  Hargraves  and  Arkwright  had 
perfected  machinery  by  which  forty  threads  were  spun  by  the  same 
motion.* 

Franklin's  reply  is  illustrative  of  his  utilitarianism;  he  lived  in  the 
days  of  leather  breeches  and  vests,  and  even  of  greatcoats,  when  the 
poor  were  not  clad  in  comfort.  So  expensive  was  woolen  cloth  that  a 
family  was  obliged  to  make  fiill  use  of  it  when  once  in  their  possession, 
and,  as  is  attested  by  the  recorded  wills  of  thousands  of  Americans  of 
that  time,  the  personal  apparel  of  the  parents  was  transmitted  to  the 
individual  members  of  the  family .^ 

Franklin's  services  to  his  country  by  educating  England  to  an  un- 
derstanding of  the  conditions  of  the  American  colonies  were  temjiora- 
rily  suspended  by  his  return  to  America  in  1775,  when  it  seemed  to 
many  that  he  had  failed  in  securing  the  object  of  his  mission.  Subse- 
quent events,  however,  proved  that  his  humorous  contributions  to  the 
newspapers,  in  which  he  discussed  in  a  broad  way  the  American  situa- 
tion, had  educated  the  public  mind  and  his  intimacy  with  men  and 
women  of  eminence  and  learning  had  laid  the  foundations  of  a  jwliti- 
cal  party. 

Franklin's  writings  seem  the  spontaneous  production  of  an  easy 
mind ;  on  the  contrary,  they  are  the  result  of  painstaking  effort,  of  re- 
peated interlineation,  revision,  and  rewriting,  and  his  best  pieces  were 
rewritten  seven  or  eight  times  before  he  published  them.  Among  the 
Franklin  papers  in  Washington  are  many  which  are  the  successive 
copies  of  such  pieices.  It  is  surprising  at  first  thought  that  a  man  so 
busy  as  Franklin  could  find  time  and  would  have  the  patience  to  give 
such  detailed  attention  to  the  pieces  which  he  wrote  for  the  pleasure  of 
his  friends,  but  Franklin  loved  details  and  excelled  in  the  exquisite 
practice  of  literary  refinement  until  his  anecdote  or  his  scientific  paper, 
freed  from  all  useless  words,  illustrated  the  standard  of  tlie  simple  and 
concise  style  which  he  so  frequently  pronounced  most  perfect.  His 
frequent  defense  of  an  English  education  was  doubtless  suggested 
by  his  own  patience  and  experience  in  writing  these  perfect  protluctions 
in  his  own  tongue.  He  could  not  see  any  advantage  in  traveling  along 
an  Italian  Row,  a  Spanish  Row,  and  a  French  Row  in  the  midst  of  this 

'  "There  are  spinning  mules  in  operation  now  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  which 
will  spin  one  tlionsand  threads  at  a  time."     [Charles  Heber  Clarke  to  Editor.] 

^See  Weeden's  ''Social  and  Economic  History  of  New  England,"  remarks  ou 
"cloth"  and  "  textile  fabrics." 


102  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

literary  Vanity  Fair  when  the  English  way  was  so  direct,  so  conven- 
ient, and  so  plain.' 

Franklin  never  outgrew  the  lessons  of  his  own  efforts  in  self-educa- 
tion. Perhaps  no  better  illustration  of  the  effects  of  education  upon 
the  mind  when  men  are  called  to  decide  on  important  matters  is  found 
than  in  the  curious  judgment  of  the  committee  appointed  by  Congress 
July  4,  1776,  consisting  of  Franklin,  Jefferson,,  and  John  Adams,  to 
prepare  a  device  for  a  seal  for  the  General  Government.*  The  various 
devices  proposed  by  the  members  of  the  committee  suggest  the  educa- 
tion which  each  had  received  in  his  boyhood.  We  learn  from  Adams 
that  Dr.  Franklin  proposed  as  a  device,  "  Moses  lifting  up  his  wand 
and  dividing  the  Eed  Sea,  and  Pharaoh  in  his  chariot  overwhelmed 
with  the  waters."  The  motto,  "  Rebellion  to  Tyrants  is  obedience  to 
God."  Probably  Franklin's  memory  of  his  home  training  in  Milk 
Street,  where  his  childish  ideas  were  colored  by  incidents  in  Jewish 
history,  may  explain  the  origin  of  this  device. 

Jefferson  proposed  as  a  device,  "  The  children  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness;  led  by  a  cloud  by  day  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night;  and 
on  the  other  side,  Hen  gist  and  Horsa,  the  Saxon  chiefs,  from  whom 
we  claim  the  honor  of  being  descended,  and  whose  political  principles 
and  form  of  Government  we  have  assumed."  Evidently  Jefferson's 
youthful  training  was  not  wholly  biblical  and  the  curious  mixture  of 
Hebraism  and  British  mythology  was  characteristic  of  the  constructive 
Jeftersonian  politics. 

Adams  forgot  his  Old  Testament  training  and  thought  the  choice 
should  be  of  Hercules,  "  as  engraved  by  GribeUn  in  some  editions  of 
Lord  Shaftesbury's  works.  The  hero  resting  on  his  club;  Virtue  point- 
ing to  her  rugged  mountain  on  one  hand  and  persuading  him  to  ascend; 
Sloth,  glancing  at  her  flowery  paths  of  pleasure,  wantonly  reclining  on 
the  ground,  displaying  the  charms  both  of  her  eloquence  and  person, 
to  seduce  him  into  vice."  John  Adams  had  read  Lord  Shaftesbury  at 
the  turning  point  of  his  youthful  education,  and  characteristically 
leaving  the  plain  illustrations  of  Hebrew  history,  he  preferred  the 
abstractions  of  the  founder  of  North  Carolina. 

It  might  be  thought  that  in  suggesting  a  seal  for  the  United  States 
Franklin  would  have  proposed  a  figure  of  a  saw,  or  a  hammer,  or  a  print- 
ing press.  We  are  told  that  after  nearly  six  weeks'  deliberation  Moses 
and  Pharaoh  and  Hengist  and  Horsa  and  Lord  Shaftesbury  were  left 
behind,  and  the  committee  proposed  an  emblematic  seal  suggestive  of 
the  composite  character  of  American  institutions:  "A  rose  for  England, 
a  thistle  for  Scotland,  a  harp  for  Ireland,  a  fleur-de-lis  for  France,  a 
black  eagle  for  Germany,  a  lion  for  the  Low  Countries."    The  United 


'See his  Observations  Relative, to  the  Intentions  of  the  Original  Founders  of  the 
Academy  in  Philadelphia,  in  which  he  vigorously  defends  an  English  education. 

"The  Seal  of  the  United  States,  how  it  was  developed  and  adopted;  Washington, 
Department  of  State,  lb92. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      103 

States  was  to  appear  upon  the  border  by  its  initials,  and  the  goddess  of 
liberty  in  armor,  with  a  spear,  cap,  and  shield,  was  to  support  the  em- 
blazonmentj  Justice,  with  her  naked  sword,  was  to  guard  all.  All  was 
to  be  under  "the  eye  of  Providence  in  a  radiant  triangle,  whose 
glory  extends  over  the  shield  and  beyond  the  figures.  Motto:  'E 
Pluribus  Unum.' "  And  round  the  whole  the  legend  "  Seal  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  MDCCLXXVI."  Franklin  seems  to 
have  won  the  committee  to  his  idea,  and  on  the  other  side  of  tlie 
seal  Pharjioh  was  to  sit  in  his  chariot,  with  a  crown  on  his  hea<l  and 
a  sword  in  his  hand,  passing  through  the  divided  waters  of  the  Ked 
Sea  in  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  Israelites.  But  even  here  Franklin  illus- 
trated his  diplomacy  by  compromising  with  Jefferson  in  the  device 
of  a  pillar  of  fire  in  a  cloud,  expressive  of  the  Divine  presence  which 
beamed  on  Moses,  who  stood  on  the  shore  extending  his  hand  over 
the  waters  and  causing  the  fearful  overflow.  Franklin's  motto  was 
retained.  Happily  for  the  device  on  our  national  seal.  Dr.  Franklin 
at  this  time  was  sent  to  France  and  other  committees,  following  out  the 
suggestions  of  Franklin's  famous  story  ot  the  hatter,  suppressed  all  of 
the  original  design  except  the  motto  and  the  eye  of  Providence. 

It  was  on  this  voyage  to  France,  rough  and  painful,  that  Franklin, 
though  suffering  the  miseries  of  unwholesome  accommodations  and  al- 
most continuous  sea-sickness,  "  contrived  every  day  to  take  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  ocean,  in  order  to  verify  anew  his  discovery  of  the  warmth 
of  the  Gulf  Stream."  He  could  no  more  resist  the  opportunity  of  mak- 
ing experiments  than  he  could  resist  being  cheerful.  An  interesting 
collection  of  data  might  be  made  from  his  writings  illustrative  of  his  no- 
tions on  experimentation.  It  may  be  said  that  scarcely  a  page  of  his 
collected  works  fails  to  contain  some  suggestion  of  experiment  to  de- 
termine the  usefulness  of  a  proposition.  Franklin's  chief  iiifluence  in 
American  education  is  due  to  his  starting  this  enginery  of  experiment, 
and  in  the  wake  of  his  useful  life  there  followed  a  noble  number  of  dis- 
tinguished men  who  have  contributed  to  the  welfare  of  mankind  by 
their  experiments  in  connection  with  institutions  founded  by  Franklin, 
or  under  the  impulse  of  his  ideas,  such  as  the  University  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  the  Franklin  Institute. 

In  France  Franklin  continued  to  educate  Europe  in  American  affairs, 
and  not  only  in  American  affairs  but  in  the  principles  of  representative 
government.  He  put  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Dubourg*  a  volume  of  the 
first  constitutions  of  the  American  States,  and  superintended  their  trans- 
lation into  French.  It  is  of  these  constitutions  that  Thomas  Paine  said 
"  they  were  to  liberty  what  grammar  is  to  language ;  they  define  its  parts 
of  speech  and  practically  construct  them  into  syntax."  Their  publica- 
liou  was  resisted  for  a  long  time  by  the  French  Government,  but  pub- 

'  It  was  M.  Dnbourg  who  had  been  chiefly  instrumental  iu  publishing  many  of 
Franklin's  letters  on  electricity. 


U)4  THE    L'.NIVEKSITV    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

lie  opinion  at  last  forced  tlieir  publication.  The  effect  of  bringing 
American  ideas  before  the  people  of  France  is  touched  on  in  Franklin's 
letter  to  Dr.  Samuel  Cooper  in  May,  1777: 

All  Europe  is  ou  our  side  of  the  question  as  far  as  applause  and  good  wishes  can 
carry  them.  Those  who  live  under  arbitrary  power  do  nevertheless  approve  of  lib- 
erty, and  wish  for  it;  they  almost  despair  of  recovering  it  in  Europe;  they  read  the 
trdnslations  of  our  separate  colony  (?)  constitutions  with  I'apture;  and  there  are 
such  numbers  of  them  everywhere  who  talk  of  removing  to  America,  with  their 
families  and  fortunes,  as  soon  as  peace  and  our  iudo])endence  shall  be  established 
that  it  is  generally  believed  we  shall  have  a  prodigious  addition  of  strength,  wealth, 
and  arts,  from  the  emigrations  of  Europe;  and  it  is  thought  that,  to  lessen  or  pre- 
vent such  emigrations,  the  tyrannies  established  there  must  relax,  and  allow  more 
liberty  to  their  people.  Hence  it  is  a  common  observation  here,  that  our  cause  is 
the  cause  of  all  mankind,  and  that  we  are  fighting  for  their  liberty  in  defending  our 
own. 

This  passage  illustrates  much  of  Franklin's  economy ;  he  would  ap- 
peal to  tiie  public,  he  would  induce  immigration  at  a  time  when  immi- 
gration was  almost  unknown,  when  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the 
German  or  French  or  Dutch  family  who  would  find  a  home  in  America 
were  sufficient  to  keep  them  in  their  own  country.  Franklin  would 
proceed  on  universal  principles  and  make  his  cause  "the  cause  of  all 
mankind."  He  touched  the  French  mind  at  the  point  when  the  slight- 
est friction  kindled  a  flame,  and  the  effect  of  the  publication  of  these 
American  Constitutions  in  hastening  and  shaping  the  French  Kevolu- 
tion  is  beyond  computation.  It  is  known  that  Turgot  and  Neckar 
opposed  French  aid  to  the  American  Colonies  on  the  ground  of  the  tre- 
mendous cost  to  France,  not  merely  in  depleting  the  treasury,  but  in 
undermining  the  monarchy. 

It  is  Franklin's  work  in  France  that  gave  expression  there  to  the 
philosophy  of  David  Hume  and  the  economy  of  Adam  Smith,  Doubt- 
less these  three  men,  Franklin,  Hume,  and  Adam  Smith,  were  the  tri- 
umvirate of  the  eighteenth  century.  Tlie  philosophy  of  Hume,  the  econ- 
omy of  Adam  Smith,  and  the  practicality  of  Franklin  represent  the  three 
controlling  ideas  in  that  creative  period ;  to  these  three  influences,  co- 
operating at  a  critical  time  in  the  development  of  constitutional  gov- 
ernment, the  world  owes  the  development  of  modern  science,  of  mod- 
ern industry,  and  the  triumph  of  representative  government.  The 
meeting  of  three  such  forces  in  the  world  by  the  communion  of  Frank- 
line  and  Hume  and  Smith  in  their  conversations  in  Edinburgh,  suggests 
a  subject  for  philosophical  examination. 

In  Franklin's  "Proposals  Kelating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in 
Pennsylvania  "  he  told  the  reader  that — 

The  idea  of  what  is  true  merit  should  also  be  often  presented  to  youth,  explained, 
and  impressed  on  their  minds  as  consisting  in  the  inclination  Joined  with  the 
ability  to  serve  mankind,  one's  country,  friends,  and  family,  which  ability  is,  with" 
the  blessing  of  God,  to  be  acquired  or  greatly  increased  by  true  learning,  and 
should  indeed  be  the  great  aim  and  end  of  all  learning. 


IMPORTANT    liOCUMENTS  JIELATING   TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.       105 

He  practiced  this  precept.  The  translations  of  the  American  Con 
stitutions  served '"the  cause  of  all  mankind,"  and  everybody  knows 
how  Franklin  was  ever  mindful  of  his  friends  and  his  family  whenever 
he  could  serve  them,  either  in  private  or  public  life;  any  of  his  rela- 
tives who  were  capable  of  filling  office  usually  filled  one.  His  life  is 
full  of  applications  of  his  system  of  prizes  and  rewards  laid  down  in 
his  scheme  for  an  English  school.  If  he  would  give  gilt  books  to  chil- 
dren, he  would  give  to  those  who  served  their  country  the  reward  of 
public  recognition.  Thomas  Wren  was  a  dissenting  clergyman  at 
Portsmouth,  England,  who  sympathizing  with  the  American  cause  and 
pitying  the  distress  of  the  American  prisoners,  devoted  much  of  his 
time  to  the  relief  of  the  Americans  in  Forton  Jail.  He  gave  of  his  own 
small  fortune,  he  obtained  the  assistance  of  his  friends,  he  bought 
clothing  and  medicine  and  food,  and  in  every  way  in  his  power  con- 
tributed to  the  comfort  of  those  unhappy  men.  Dr.  Franklin  was  in 
correspondence  with  him  throughout  the  war  and  as  a  slight  proof  of 
his  sense  of  the  indebtedness  of  the  public  to  Wren,  Franklin  was  in- 
strumental in  securing  him  a  vote  of  thanks  from  Congress  in  1783 
and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Princeton  College. 

Illustrations  abound  in  Franklin's  life  of  his  constant  practice  of  the 
principles  laid  down  in  his  scheme  for  the  eduction  of  youth.  Utilita- 
rianism has  its  machinery  of  compensation  and  Franklin  ever  worked 
this  machinery  with  success.  His  scheme  of  education  made  no  provi- 
sion for  the  useless  man,  and  on  several  occasions  he  makes  an  ancient 
college,  as  in  the  case  of  Princeton,  the  means  of  rewarding  a  useful 
act.  He  seems  to  have  discovered  a  usefulness  in  the  granting  of  col- 
lege degrees  which  at  that  time  was  so  shamefully  abused. 

It  is  in  1778,  while  in  his  seventy-second  year,  when  Franklin  and 
John  Adams  are  associated  in  dii)lomatic  work  in  Paris,  that  the  dif- 
ference in  their  educational  equipment  is  so  apparent.  Adams  was  a 
lawyer,  regular  in  all  his  habits,  clear  in  interiwetiug  his  own  course  in 
affairs,  and  one  of  the  great  company  of  human  beings  who  worship 
order.  The  first  point  of  difference  between  Franklin  and  Adams  was 
relating  to  order.  Of  this  Franklin  had  little  and  Adams  had  much. 
Everybody  recalls  Franklin's  exquisite  confession  of  his  own  failure  to 
acquire  orderly  habits  in  his  autobiography.  It  occurs  in  his  account 
of  his  effbir't  to  apply  his  Art  of  Virtue.  One  of  the  virtues  at  which  he 
aimed  was  order. 

I  made  so  little  progress  in  amendment  [be  says]  and  had  such  frequent  relapses 
that  I  was  almost  ready  to  give  np  the  attempt,  and  content  myself  with  a  faulty 
character  in  that  respect,  like  the  man,  who,  in  buying  an  ax  of  a  smith,  my  neighbor, 
desired  to  have  the  whole  of  th»  surface  as  bright  as  the  edge.  The  smith  consented 
to  grind  it  bright  for  him  if  he  would  turn  the  wheel ;  he  turned  while  the  smith 
pressed  the  btoad  face  of  the  ax  hard  and  heavily  on  the  stous  which  made  the  turn- 
ing of  it  very  fatiguing.  The  man  came  every  now  and  then  from  the  wheel  to  see 
how  the  work  went  on  and  at  length  would  take  his  ax  as  it  was,  without  farther 
grinding.     "No,"  said  the  smith,  "turn  on,  turn  on;  we  shall  have  it  bright  by  and 


lUl)  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVAXIA. 

by ;  as  yet  it  is  only  speckled."  "  Yes,"  says  the  man,  "  but  I  think  I  like  a  speck'.ed 
ax  best."  And  I  believe  this  may  have  been  the  case  -with  irfany  who,  having  for 
want  of  some  such  means  as  I  employed,  fotind  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  good  and 
breaking  bad  habits  in  other  points  of  vice  and  virtue,  have  given  ux)  the  struggle, 
and  concluded  "that  a  speckled  ax  was  best ;"  for  something,  that  pretended  to  be 
reason,  was  every  now  and  then  suggesting  to  me  that  such  extreme  nicety  as  I  ex- 
acted of  myself  might  be  a  kind  of  foppery  fn  morals,  which,  if  it  were  known, 
would  make  me  ridiculous;  that  a  perfect  character  might  be  attended  with  the  in- 
convenience of  being  envied  and  hated,  and  that  a  benevolent  man  should  allow  a 
few  faults  in  himself  to  keep  his  friends  in  countenance.  In  truth  I  found  myself 
incorrigible  with  respect  to  order;  and  now  I  am  grown  older  and  my  memory  bad, 
I  feel  very  sensibly  the  want  of  it. 

Had  Franklin  had  a  keener  appetite  for  order  be  might  possibly  have 
collected  his  various  writings,  or  he  might  have  completed  his  auto- 
biography, or  he  might  have  arranged  more  perfectly  the  details  of 
many  of  his  experiments,  or  he  might  have  set  forth  somewhere  the 
means  by  which  he  arrived  at  so  many  of  his  opinions.  Though  Frank- 
lin is  always  taking  us  into  his  confidence,  there  are  many  interesting 
matters  about  him  on  which  we  would  like  further  information.  Frank- 
lin, like  Daniel  Webster,  was  capable  of  taking  his  ease.  His  large  soul 
had  need  to  be  stirred  now  and  then  by  lesser  men.  He  would  never 
have  undertaken  his  autobiography,  that  priceless  fragment  of  litera- 
ture, had  it  not  been  pressed  upon  him  by  his  friends. 

That  Franklin  was  estimated  a  hundred  years  ago  very  much  as  he 
is  estimated  to-day  is  evident  from  a  letter  to  him  by  Benjamin  Vaughan, 
dated  Paris,  January  31, 1783,  in  which  Franklin  is  urged  to  continue 
his  autobiography  and  to  write  his  "Ait  of  Virtue." 

Your  history  is  so  remarkable  that  if  you  do  not  give  it  somebody  else  will  certainly 
give  it,  and  perhaps  so  as  nearly  to  do  as  mnch  harm  as  your  own  management  of 
the  thing  might  do  good. 

It  will  moreover  present  a  table  of  internal  circnmstauces  of  your  country  which 
will  very  much  tend  to  invite  to  it  settlers  of  virtuous  and  manly  minds.  And  con- 
sidering the  eagerness  with  which  such  information  is  sought  by  them,  and  the  ex- 
tent of  your  reputation,  I  do  not  know  of  a  more  efficacious  advertisement  than  your 
biography  would  give. 

All  that  has  happened  to  you  is  also  connected  with  the  detail  of  the  manner  and 
situation  of  a  rising  people ;  and  in  this  respect  I  do  not  think  that  the  writings  of 
CfEsar  and  Tacitus  can  be  more  interesting  to  a  judge  of  human  nature  and  society. 

But  these,  sir,  are  small  reasons,  in  my  opinion,  compared  with  the  chance  which 
yonr  life  will  give  for  the  forming  of  future  great  men,  and  in  conjunction  with 
your  "Art  of  Virtue  "  (which  you  design  to  publish)  of  improving  the  features  of  pri- 
vate character,  and  consequently  of  aiding  all  happiness,  both  public  and  domestic. 

The  two  works  I  allude  to,  sir,  will  in  particular  give  a  noble  rule  and  example  of 
self-education.  School  and  other  education  constantly  proceed  upon  false  principles, 
and  show  a  clumsy  apparatus  pointed  at  a  false  mark;  but  jour  apparatus  is  simple 
nnd  the  mark  a  true  one;  and  while  parents  and  young  persons  are  left  destitute  of 
other  just  means  of  estimating  and  becoming  prepared  for  a  reasonable  course  in  life, 
your  discovery  that  the  thing  is  in  many  a  man's  private  power  will  be  invaluable. 

Influence  upon  the  private  character  late"  in  life  is  not  only  an  influence  late  in 
life,  but  a  weak  influence.  It  is  in  youth  that  we  plant  our  chief  habits  and  preju- 
dices; it  is  in  youth  that  we  take  our  parties  as  to  profession,  pursuits;  and  matri- 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.       107 

mouy.  In  youth  therefore  the  turn  is  given ;  iu  yonth  the  edncation  even  of  the  next 
generation  is  given;  in  youth  the  private  and  public  character  is  determined,  and 
the  term  of  life  extending  out  from  youth  to  age,  life  ought  to  begin  well  from  youth, 
and  more  especially  before  we  take  our  party  as  to  our  principal  objects. 

But  your  biography  will  not  merely  teach  self-education,  but  the  education  of  a 
wise  man;  and  the  wisest  man  will  receive  lights  and  improve  his  progress  by  see- 
ing detailed  the  conduct  of  another  wise  man.  And  why  are  weaker  men  to  be 
deprived  of  such  helps  when  we  see  our  race  has  been  blundering  on  in  the  dark, 
almost  without  a  guide  iu  this  particular,  from  the  farthest  trace  of  time.  Show, 
then,  sir,  how  much  is  to  be  done,  both  to  the  sons  and  fathers,  and  invite  all  wise 
men  to  become  like  yourself,  and  other  men  to  become  wise. 

When  we  see  how  cruel  statesmen  and  waiTiors  can  be  to  the  human  race,  how 
absurd  distinguished  men  can  be  to  their  acquaintances,  it  will  be  instructive  to 
observe  the  instances  multiply  of  pacific,  acquieScing  manners;  and  to  find  how  com- 
patible it  is  to  be  great  and  domestic,  enviable  and  yet  good-humored.  The  little 
private  incidents  which  you  will  also  have  to  relate  will  have  considerable  use,  as 
we  want  above  all  things  rules  of  prudence  iu  ordinary  affairs ;  and  it  will  be  curious 
to-see  how  you  have  acted  in  these.  It  will  bo  so  far  a  sort  of  a  key  to  life,  and  ex- 
plain many  things  that  all  men  ought  to  have  once  explained  to  them,  to  give  them 
a  chance  of  becoming  wise  by  foresight. 

The  nearest  thing  to  having  experience  of  one's  own  is  to  have  other  people's 
afl'airs  brought  before  us  in  a  shape  that  is  interesting.  This  is  sure  to  happen  from 
your  pen.  Your  affairs  aud  management  will  have  an  air  of  simplicity  or  importance 
that  will  not  fail  to  strike ;  and  I  am  convinced  you  have  conducted  them  with  as 
much  originality  as  if  you  had  been  conducting  decisions  in  politics  or  philosophy ; 
and  what  more  worthy  of  experiments  aud  system  (its  importance  and  its  errors 
considered)  than  human  life. 

Some  men  have  been  virtuous  blindly,  others  have  speculated  fantastically,  and 
others  have  been  shrewd  to  bad  purposes;  but  you.,  sir,  I  am  sure,  will  give  under 
your  hand  nothing  but  what  is  at  the  same  moment  wise,  practical,  and  good. 

Your  account  of  yourself,  for  I  suppose  the  parallel  I  am  drawing  for  Dr.  Franklin 
will  hold  not  only  in  point  of  character,  but  of  private  history,  will  show  that  you 
are  ashamed  of  no  origin,  a  thing  the  more  important  as  you  prove  how  little  neces- 
sary all  origin  is  to  happiness,  virtue,  or  greatness. 

As  no  end  likewise  happens  without  a  means,  so  we  shall  find,  sir,  that  even  yon  yonr- 
self  framed  a  plan  by  which  you  became  considerable;  but  at  the  same  time  we 
may  see  that  though  the  event  is  flattering,  the  means  are  as  simple  as  wisdom  could 
make  them;  that  is,  depending  upon  nature,  virtue,  thought,  and  habit. 

Another  thing  demonstrated  Will  be  the  propriety  of  every  man's  waiting  for  his 
time  for  appearing  upon  the  stage  of  the  world.  Our  sensations  being  v«!ry  much 
fixed  to  the  moment,  we  are  apt  to  forget  that  more  moments  are  to  follow  the  first, 
and  consequently  that  man  should  arrange  his  conduct  so  as  to  suit  the  whole  of  a 
life.  Your  attribution  appears  to  have  been  applied  to  your  life,  and  the  ]ias.Hing 
moments  of  it  have  been  enlivened  with  content  and  enjoyment,  instea*!  of  being 
tormented  with  foolish  impatience  or  regrets.  Such  a  conduct  is  e.isy  for  those  who 
make  virtue  and  themselves  their  standard,  and  who  try  to  keep  them.selves  in 
countenance  by  examples  of  other  truly  great  men,  of  whom  patience  is  so  otlen 
the  characteristic. 

Your  Quaker  correspondent  *  *  *  praised  your  frugality,  diligence,  and  tem- 
perance, which  he  considered  as  a  pattern  for  all  youth;  biitit  is  aiugular  that  he 
should  have  forgotten  your  modesty  and  your  disinterestedness,  without  which 
you  never  could  have  waited  for  your  advancement  or  found  your  situation  in  the 
meantime  comfortable,  which  is  a  strong  lesson  to  show  the  poverty  of  glory  and 
the  importance  of  regulating  our  minds.  If  this  correspondent  had  known  the  nature 
of  your  reputation  as  well  as  I  do,  he  would  have  said  your  former  writings  and 


108  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

measures  would  secure  attention  to  yonr  biography  and  Art  of  Virtue,  and  your  bi- 
ography and  Art  of  Virtue  in  return  would>secure  atteution  to  them.  This  is  an  ad- 
vantage attendant  upon  a  various  character  and  which  brings  all  that  belongs  to  it 
into  greater  play ;  and  it  is  the  more  useful,  as  perhaps  more  persons  are  at  a  loss  for 
the  means  of  improving  their  minds  and  characters  than  they  are  for  the  time  or  the 
inclination  to  do  it.  *  *  »  If  it  encourages  more  writings  of  the  same  kind  with 
your  own,  and  induces  more  men  to  spend  lives  fit  to  be  written,  it  will  be  worth  all 
Plutarch's  Lives  put  together.  •  »  »  Considering  your  great  age,  the  caution  of 
your  character,  and  peculiar  style  of  thinking,  it  is  not  likely  that  anyone  besides  your- 
self can  be  sufficiently  master  of  the  facts  of  j'otir  life  or  the  intentions  of  your  miud. 

Besides  all  this,  the  immense  revolution  of  the  present  period  will  necessarily  turn 
our  attention  toward  the  author  of  it;  and  when  virtuous  principles  have  been  pre- 
tended in  it,  it  will  bo  highly  important  to  show  that  such  have  really  influenced; 
and,  as  your  own  character  will  b#  the  principal  one  to  see  a  scrutiny,  it  is  i)roper 
even  for  its  effects  upon  your  vast  and  rising  country,  as  well  as  upon  England  and 
upon  Europe,  that  it  should  stand  respectable  and  eternal. 

For  the  furtherance  of  human  happiness  I  have  always  maintained  that  it  is 
necessary  to  prove  that  a  mau  is  not  even  at  present  a  vicious  and  detestable  animal ; 
and,  still  more,  to  prove  that  good  management  may  greatly  am«nd  him ;  and  it  is 
for  much  the  same  reason  that  I  am  anxious  to  see  the  opinion  established  that  there 
are  fair  characters  existing  among  the  individuals  of  the  race,  for  the  moment  that 
all  men,  without  exception,  shall  be  conceived  abandoned,  good  people  will  cease 
efforts  deemed  to  be  hopeless,  and  perhaps  think  of  taking  their  share  in  the  scram- 
ble of  life,  or  at  least  of  making  it  comfortable  principally  for  themselves. 

Extend  your  views  even  further;  do  not  stop  at  those  who  speak  the  English 
tongue,  but  after  having  settled  so  many  points  in  nature  and  politics,  think  of  bet- 
tering the  whole  race  of  men. 

This  appeal  was  turniug  the  tables  on  Franklin,  and  was  happily 
effectual  in  causing  him  to  resume  his  autobiography  at  Passy,  near 
Paris,  in  the  following  year.  This  letter  is  almost  prophetic  of  the 
place  that  Franklin  was  to  hold  in  American  life.  Wlio  can  estimate 
the  number  of  readers  of  the  autobiography,  and  who  can  tell  how 
many  lives  have  been  made  useftil  by  that  work?  Fifty  years  ago  the 
means  for  securing  an  education  in  America  were  so  imperfect  that  the 
atitobiography  became  the  great  text-book  for  active  minds  among  the 
young  throughout  the  country,  and  therc^are  few  eminent  men  or  women 
in  America  to-day,  GO .  years  of  age  and  native  born,  who  will  not 
place  Franklin's  Autobiography,  not  only  among  the  few  books  that 
helped  them,  but  as  the  first  book  that  they  reatl  which  opened  up  a 
possible  career  in  life  by  self  education,  and  which  did  for  their  genera- 
tion even  more  than  Sartor  Resartus,  or  Emerson's  Essays,  forty  years 
ago.  Franklin's  Autobiography  was  a  book-making  book,  because  his 
life  was  a  book- making  life. 

The  old  Congress  of  the  Confederation  seems  to  have  realized  the 
value  of  education  in  politics,  for  in  1780  itrequestetl  Franklin  to  make 
a  school  book  of  the  record  of  British  atrocities  in  the  American  war. 
Franklin  describes  this  commission  to  his  English  friend  Hartley.  The 
book  was  to  have  "thirty-five  prints,  designed  here  by  good  artists, 
and  engraved,  each  expressing  one  or  more  of  the  different  horrid  fiicts 
to  be  inserted  in  the  book,  in  order  to  impress  the  minds  of  children 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      100 

and  posterity  with  a  deep  seuse  of  your  bloody  and  iusatiable  malice 
and  wickedness."  But  Franklin  was  not  a  Eugene  Sue;  he  resolved 
not  to  proceed  in  the  work,  hoping  that  a  reconciliation  might  take 
place,  but  added  ''every  fresh  instance  of  your  devilism  weakens  that 
resolution  and  makes  me  abominate  the  thought  of  a  reunion  with  such 
a  i)eopIe."  Perhaps  Benjamin  Vaughan  was  wiser  than  Congress  when 
he  intimated  that  Franklin's  Autobiography  would  make  a  great  Amer- 
ican school  book.  The  influence  of  Franklin  on  American  education 
has  been  even  greater  through  his  Autobiography  than  through  the 
institutions  which  he  founded  or  which  were  founded  by  his  followers. 

Franklin  w  as  a  prince  of  democrats.  The  great  feature  of  his  whole 
public  policy  is  well  said  by  Parton  to  be  "to  enlighten  public  opinion 
and  to  bring  enlightened  public  opinion  to  bear  upon  the  councils  of 
public  men."  In  this  lofty  effort  he  was  surpassed  by  none  of  his  con- 
temporaries and  has  been  equaled  by  few  of  his  successors. 

In  1784  a  town  of  Norfolk  County,  Massachusetts,  in  its  sixth  year, 
took  upon  itself  the  name  of  Franklin,  and,  sending  notice  of  the  honor, 
informed  Franklin  that  they  would  build  a  suitable  tower  td  their 
church  if  he  would  present  them  with  a  bell.  His  famous  reply  asking 
them  to  accept  a  gift  of  books  instead  of  a  bell,  "  sense  being  prefera- 
ble to  sound,"  led  to  the  founding  of  a  public  library  in  the  town  whose 
first  books  were  selected  by  Dr.  Price,  at  Franklin's  request,  limiting 
the  choice  to  "such  as  are  most  proper  to  inculcate  principles  of  sound 
religion  and  just  government."  Franklin  was  too  busy,  probably,  to 
make  out  the  list  himself,  and  recommended,  at  the  instance  of  his  sis- 
ter, Stennet's  Discourse  on  Personal  Religion.  The  books  selected  by 
Dr.  Price  were  presented  to  the  town;  they  suggest  the  ruling  ideas  of 
the  period  and  most  of  them  have  been  put  upon  the  high  shelves  in 
the  modern  library.^ 


'They  were  as  follows:  Clarke's  Works;  Hoadley's  Works;  Barrow's  Works; 
Ridgeley's  Works ;  Locke's  Works;  Sidney's  Works ;  Montesquieu's  Spirit  of  Laws; 
Blackstone's  Commentaries;  Watson's  Tracts;  Newton  ou  the  Prophecies;  Law  on 
Religion;  Priestley's  Institutes ;  Priestley's  Corruptions;  Price  and  Priestley;  Lynd- 
sey's  Apology;  Lyudsey's  Sequel;  Abemethy's  Sermons;  Duchals  Sermons ;  I»ric<«'8 
Morals;  Price  on  Providence ;  Price  on  Liberty;  Price's  Sermons;  I'riceon  the  Chris- 
tian Scheme;  Needhara's  P'ree^tate ;  West  and  Lyttleton  ou  the  Resurrection ;  Sten- 
net's Sermons;  Addison's  Evidences;  Gordon's  Tacitus;  Backus's  History;  Lardner 
ontheLogas;  Watts'a  Orthodoxy  aud  Charity;  Brainertl's  Life;  Bellamy's  True 
Religion;  Doddridge's  Life;  Bellamy's  Permission  of  Sin ;  Fordyce's  Sermons ;  Hem- 
monway  against  Hopkins;  Hopkins  on  Holiness;  Life  of  Cromwell;  Fulfilling  of 
the  Scriptures;  Watts  on  the  Passions;  Watts's  Logic;  Edwards  on  Religion;  Dick- 
inson on  the  Five  Points;  Christian  History;  Prideaux's  Connections;  Cooper  on 
Predestination;  Cambridge  Platform;  Stoddard's  Safety  of  Appearing ;  Burkett  on 
Personal  Reformation;  Barnard's  Sermons;  Shepard's  Soun«l  Believer;  History  of 
the  Rebellion;  Janeway's  Life;  Hopkin's  System;  American  Preacher ;  Emmons's 
Sermons;  Thomas's  Laws  of  Massachusetts ;  American  Constitutions ;  Young's  Night 
Thoughts;  Pilgrim's  Progress ;  Ames's  Orations;  Spectators;  Life  of  Baron  Trenk; 
Cheap  Repository;  Moral  Repository;  Fitch's  Poems;  Erskine's  Sermons. 


IIU  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Franklin's  uaine  begins  to  appear  upon 
the  map  of  the  United  States,  in  the  State  of  Frankland  (Tennessee), 
in  counties  and  in  towns.^ 

The  last  official  act  done  by  Franklin  in  Europe  was  the  affixing"  of 
his  signature  to  the  treaty  with  Prussia,  which  contained  what  was 
considered  at  that  time  a  novel  proposition,  but  one  to  which  Franklin 
was  devoted,  and  which  he  was  instrumental  in  introducing,  laying  it 
down  that  free  ships  make  free  goods,  and  securing  private  property 
from  seizure  and  destruction  in  time  of  war.  Washington  spoke  of 
this  treaty  as  marking  a  new  era  in  negotiation,  but  its  liberal  princi- 
ples have  not  yet  won  full  recognition  in  diplomacy.^ 

Franklin's  return  voyage  in  1785,  continuing  seven  weeks,  gave  him 
another  opportunity  for  experiment,  and  it  was  at  this  time  that  he 
wrote  his  elaborate  paper,  in  the  form  of-  a  letter  to  David  LeRoy,  on 
the  construction,  sailing,  loading,  provisioning,  and  saving  of  ships, 
and  the  winds,  currents,  and  temperature  of  the  sea,  with  twenty-seven 
illustrations  and  sea  charts,  and  six  tables  of  thermometrical  observa- 
tions. •  It  was  the  eighth  time  that  Franklin  had  crossed  the  Atlantic, 
and  was  productive  of  one  of  his  most  useful  suggestions,  the  con- 
struction of  water-tight  comi)artments  in  ships,  which  has  come  into 
common  use  since  his  day.  Franklin  took  the  idea  from  the  Chinese, 
with  whose  habits  his  wide  reading  had  acquainted  him.^ 

On  his  return  to  Philadelphia,  after  his  long  absence  in  France,  he 
received  congratidatory  addresses  from  the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania 
and  from  the  provost,  vice-provost,  and  i>rofessors  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  which  he  had  been  instrumental  in  founding.  The  ad- 
dress of  the  provost  and  his  associates  is  as  follows : 

Honored  Sir:  The  provost,  vice-provost,  and  professors  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  beg  leave  to  congratulate  you  on  your  safe  arrival  in  your  native 
country  after  having  accomplished  the  duties  of  your  exalted  character  with  dignity 
and  success.  * 

While  we  participate  in  the  general  happiness  of  America,  to  the  establishmectof 
which  your  political  abilities  and  patriotic  exertions  have  so  signally  contributed, 
we  feel  a  particular  pleasure  in  paying  our  acknoAvledgments  to  the  gentlemnn  who 
first  projected  the  liberal  plan  of  the  institution  over  which  we  have  the  honor  to 
preside. 

Not  contented  with  enriching  the  world  with  the-most  important  discoveries  in 
natural  philosophy,  your  benevolence  and  liberality  of  sentiment  early  engaged  you 
to  make  provision  for  exciting  a  spirit  of  inquiry  into  the  secret  operations  of  na- 
ture, for  exalting  and  refining  the  genius  of  America  by  the  propagation  of  useful 
learning,  and  for  qualifying  many  of  her  sons  to  make  that  illustrious  figiire  which 
has  commanded  the  esteem  and  admiration  of  the  most  polished  nations  of  JJurope. 

Among  the  many  benevolent  projections  which  have  laid  so  ample  a  foundation 
for  the  esteem  and  gratitude  of  your  native  country  permit  this  seminary  to  reckon 

'  See  p.  163.  ' 

-See  John  Adams's  Criticism. 

'The  paper  was  afterwards  read  at  a  meeting  of  the  American  Philosophical  Soci- 
ety, December  2, 1785,  and  is  found  in  volume  IX  of  Bigelow's  edition  of  Franklin's 
Works. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING    TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.       Ill 

her  first  establishment,  upon  the  solid  principles  uf  eqnal  liberty,  as  one  of  the  moet 
considerable  and  important.  And  now,  when  restored,  through  the  influence  of  our 
happy  Constitution,  to  her  original  broad  and  catholic  bottom;  when  enriched  by 
the  protection  of  generous  donations  of  a  public-spirited  and  patriotic  assembly ; 
and  -when  flourishing  under  the  countenance  of  the  best  friends  of  religion,  learning, 
and  liberty  in  the  State,  she  can  not  but  promise  herself  the  continued  patronage  of 
the  evening  of  that  life  Avh'ich  divine  Providence  lias  so  eminently  distinguished. 

May  the  same  indulgent  Providence  yet  continue  your  protracted  life,  enriched 
and  croAvncd  with  the  best  of  blessings,  to  nurse  and  cherish  this  favorite  child  of 
your  youth,  that  the  future  sous  of  science  in  this  western  world  may  have  addi- 
tional reason  to  remember  the  name  of  Franklin  with  gratitude  and  pleasure. 

Signed,  in  the  name  and  by  order  of  the  faculty,  by — 

John  Ewino,  Provott. 

Philadelphia,  September  16,  1785. 

DR.   FRANKLIN'S  ANSWER. 

I  am  greatly  obliged,  gentlemen,  by  your  kind  congratulations  on  my  safe  arrival. 

It  gives  me  extreme  pleasure  to  find  that  seminaries  of  learning  are  increasing  in 
America,  and  particularlj-  that  the  University  over  which  you  preside  continues  to 
flourish.     My  best  wishes  will  always  attend  it. 

The  instruction  of  youth  is  one  of  those  employments  which,  to  the  public,  are 
most  useful.  It  ought,  therefore,  to  he  esteemed  among  the  most  honorable.  Its 
successful  exercise  does  not^  however,  always  meet  with  the  reward  it  merits  except 
in  the  satisfaction  of  having  contributed  to  the  forming  of  virtuous  and  able  men 
for  the  service  of  their  country. 

The  address  is  sufficient  evidence  of  the  recognition  of  Franklin's 
services  to  education  at  the  time  and  of  the  friendly  relations  which 
existed  between  him  and  the  University;  he  was  still  one  of  its  trustees. 
The  minutes  of  the  meetings  of  the  board  of  trustees  show  that  he  had 
always  attended  them  when  he  was  present  in  the  country.  The  proof 
of  his  presence  is  his  signature,  as  it  was  customary  for  each  member 
of  the  board  present  at  a  meeting  to  attest  his  presence  by  signing  the 
record. 

On  liis  return  to  Philadelphia  he  was  almost  unanimously  elected 
president  of  the  Commonwealth  and  was  inducted  into  office  with  much 
ceremony,  the  chief  officers  of  the  State  and  city  government,  the  pro- 
vost and  faculty  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  the  militia  and  the 
citizens  joining  in  the  exercises.  Like  Washington,  Franklin  accepted 
the  cares  of  the  presidency  but  refused  the  salary,  acting  in  conformity 
with  his  well-known  principles  that  in  a  representative  democracy  the 
most  valuable  offices  should  have  no  salaries.  The  money  he  would 
have  received  as  the  emolument  of  his  office  as  president  of  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Pennsylvania  he  gave  towards  the  founding  of  colleges 
and  other  useful  institutions  in  the  State. 

By  successive  elections  he  was  three  times  inaugiuated  president  of 
the  Commonwealth.  His  countrymen  had  come  to  recognize  Franklin 
as  the  natural  patron  of  every  enterprise  of  a  literary  or  philanthropic 
character,  and  it  Avas  during  his  presidency,  in  1786,  that  a  general  plan 
of  a  college  in  the  borough  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  was  presented  to  the 


112  THE   UNIVERSITY    OP^   PENNSYLVANIA. 

general  assembly  and  approved.  Thus,  out  of  respect  to  the  character 
"of  His  Excellency,  the  President  of  the  State,"  the  institution  was 
called  Franklin  College. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1787,  the  college  was  formally  opened.  It  had 
been  founded  in  consideration  of  the  wants  of  the  German  population 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  under  the  contiol  of  the  Lutheran  church.' 
Of  the  exercises*  at  the  opening  of  the  college  the  Rev:  J.  H.  uubbs, 
D.  D.,  has  given  an  interesting  account  in  his  article  on  the  founding 
of  Franklin  College,  in  the  Reform  Quarterly  Review  for  October,  1887.' 

The  question  whether  Benjamin  Franklin  was  personally  present  at  this  festival 
has  recently  received  some  attention.  That  he  was  in  Lancaster  at  some  time  in  the 
year  1787,  on  an  occasion  which  has  been  denominated  "the  laying  of  the  comer- 
stone,"  appears  to  be  a  fact  which  is  beyond  reasonable  question.  A  Freu(;h  writer, 
Hector  St.  John  Crevffcceur,  has  pre.served  a  record  of  the  event  in  his  book  of 
travels,  in  which  he  says,  as  quoted  by  Duyckinck's  Cyclopedia  of  American 
Literature:  "  lu  the  year  1787  I  accompanied  the  venerable  Franklin,  at  that  time 
governor  of  Pennsylvania,  on  a  journey  to  Lancaster,  ;vhere  ho  had  been  invited  to 
lay  the  corner-stone  of  a  college  which  he  had  founded  there  for  the  Germans.  In 
the  evening  of  the  day  oi  the  ceremony  we  were  talking  of  the  different  nations 
which  inhabit  the  continent."  The  writer  then  proceeds  to  give  the  substance  of  a 
conversation  between  Franklin  and  one  of  the  principal  residents  of  the  town,  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  the  American  Indians. 

The  above  statement  appears  to  be  suflScieutly  clear  and  explicit;  but  in  order  to 
make  assurance  doubly  sure,  the  Rev.  Dr.  F.  A.  Muhlenberg  has  kindly  examined 
the  original  authorities.  In  a  private  letter  of  July  27,  1887,  he  says:  "I  found  a 
copy  of  Duyckinck's  '  Cyclopedia'  in  the  Mercantile  Library,  and  on  page  175,  as 
you  mentioned,  the  exact  words  of  your  quotation.  There  was,  however,  no  copy 
of  the  original  work.  I  was  not  altogether  satisfied.  I  went  next  to  the  Philadel- 
phia Library  and  found  an  edition  of  Hector  St.  John  Crevecoeur,  in  French,  into 
which  it  had  bern  translated  by  the  author.  In  the  second  chapter  I  found  the  same 
in  substance  with  that  given  by  Duyckinck,  and  the  conversation  with  one  of  the 
citizens  of  the  '  ville  '  on  the  subject  of  the  Indians  of  this  country.  The  conversa- 
tion is  said  to  have  taken  i)lace  after  the  ceremonies.  The  words  used  by  Mr. 
Crevecoeur  for  the  corner-stone  are  '  la  premiere pierre.'  Such  an  explicit  state- 
ment, Avith  such  details,  could  ijot  be  questioned.  No  man  Avould,  in  the  posses- 
sion of  reason,  sittempt  to  deceive  the  world  in  such  a  fashion.  Besides,  in  the 
other  parts  of  his  work,  consisting  of  three  volumes,  in  this  edition,  he  gives  dr 
scriptions  of  our  country,  with  engravings,  which  prove  that  he  was  an  eye-witnc.-- 
of  what  he  describes,  and  his  truthful  ch.aracter.  Still  farther,  all  the  books  on 
bibliography  represent  him  as  a  reliable  author.  Dr.  Franklin  was,  therefore,  in 
Lancaster,  at  what  Mr.  Crevecoeur  calls  the  laying  of  tlje  '  premiere  pierre,'  in  the 
year  1787." 

'In  the  exercises  attending  the  opening  of  the  college,  Franklin,  it  is  said,  was 
especially  pleased  to  see  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Lutherans,  Catholics,  Mora 
vians,  and  Quakers,  all  join  harmoniously  in  the  celebration. 

•Of  these  exercises  the  Abbe  Morellet  wrote  to  Franklin  from  Anteuil,  July  31, 
1787:  "In  the  dedication  of  yoJir  college  in  the  county  of  Lancaster  and  the  tine 
procession  and  the  religious  ceremony  where  were  met  together  Presbyterians,  Epis- 
copalians, Lutherans,  Catholics,  Moravians,  e  tuUi  qitanti,  there  was  toleration  in 
practice." 

'See  reprint,  The  Founding  of  Franklin  College,  1787,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Dubbs,  D.  D., 
from  the  Reformed  Quarterly  Review,  Philadelphia  Reformed  Church  Publication 
Board,  907  Arch  street. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO    THE   UNIVERSITY.       113 

It  is  not  probable  that  the  occaMioii  to  which  reference  is  hero  ma<le  was  literally 
the  laying  of  the  corner-stone,  as  the  college  had  no  building  of  its  own  until  a 
later  period.  Of  course,  there  might  have  been  a  minor  festival  of  some  sort,  prior 
to  the  formal  opening  in  June;  but  if  this  was  the  case  it  is  strange  that  there  is  no 
reference  to  the  fact  in  the  correspondence  of  the  times.  It  is,  after  all,  most  likely 
that  Crevecoeur  refers  to  the  formal  opening  or  so-called  "dedication,"  and  that 
this  was  the  occasion  on  which  Franklin  was  present.  The  fact,  it  is  true,  is  no- 
where explicitly  stated,  but  there  are  many  circumstances  which  render  it  probable. 
Franklin's  name  was  frequently  mentioned  throughout  the  services,  in  away  which 
appears  to  have  presupposed  his  presence.  In  each  of  the  three  original  hymns 
he  is  spoken  of  with  the  highest  reverence,  and  in  one  of  them  the  college  is  termed 
"  his  child."  The  prayer  delivered  on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev,  Mr.  Herbst  closes 
with  an  intercession  for  "  the  noble  Protector  of  the  college,  his  Excellency  Benja- 
min Franklin."  Dr,  Muhlenberg  says,  "I  think  it  can  be  fairly  inferred  from  the 
connection  in  which  it  stands  and  the  peculiar  prominence  given  to  it,  that  His  Ex- 
cellency must  have  been  present." 

It  has,  indeed,  been  asserted  that  it  was  impossible  for  Dr.  Franklin  to  have  been 
in  Lancastw,  on  account  of  his  engagements  in  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
Philadelphia.  On  this  subject  Dr.  Muhlenberg  says,  in  the  letter  from  which  we 
have  so  freely  quoted,  "I  have  examined  Madison's,  Elliott's,  and  Yates's  Reports, 
and  one  other,  the  author  of  which  I  do  not  now  remember.  I  find  that  Dr.  J'^ank- 
lin  is  reported  by  one  and  all  of  these  authorities  as  present  at  the  Constitutional 
Convention  on  Saturday  and  Monday,  the  2d  and  4th  of  June,  taking  part  also  in  the 
proceedings,  but  there  is  no  mention  of  his  name  or  allusion  to  him  on  Wednesday, 
Thursday,  and  Friday,  the  6th,  7th,  and  8th  of  June,  but  on  Saturday,  9th,  his 
name  again  appears.  Here  is  a  margin  to  render  it  probable  that  he  was  absent 
for  cause." 

A  hundred  years  after  the  founding  of  Franklin  College,  on  the  oc- 
casion of  the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  foundation  of  Franklin  and 
Marshall  College,  an  address  on  Franklin  was  delivered  by  William 
Pepper,  m.  d.,  ll.  d.,  provost  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.' 
There  was  a  preeminent  fitness  in  the  choice  of  Dr.  Pepper,  the  pro- 
vost of  the  University  which  Franklin  founded,  and  who  has  been  in- 
strumental in  carrying  out  the  essentials  of  Franklin's  ideas  as  they 
apply  to  higher  education.  In  the  course  of  his  address,  Dr.  Pepi)er 
said: 

Franklin  was  admirably  equipped  as  a  popular  teacher.  Long  study  of  the  best 
models  of  English  prose,  aided  by  his  fine  literary  sense,  gave  him  a  style  unsur- 
passed for  clearness  and  directness;  while  his  rich  vein  of  humor,  his  command  of 
satire,  of  anecdote,  and  of  terse,  sententious  phrase,  enabled  him  to  convey  large 
truths  in  such  portable  and  attractive  forms  that  his  teachings  soon  spread  far  and 
wide  and  fixed  themselves  in  the  memory  and  speech  of  men.  But  here,  as  in  all 
cases,  that  which  gave  most  weight  to  his  teachings  were  the  character  and  the  life 
of  the  teacher. 

He  made  the  newspaper  press  a  power  for  good,  as  it  had  never  been  before;  and 
he  set  tbe  example,  and  adhered  to  it  throughout  his  editorial  career,  of  preserving 
the  columns  of  his  paper  free  from  all  libeling  and  personal  abuse,  and  all  pursey- 
ing  to  the  prurient  taste  of  a  section  of  the  community. 

He  was  ever  ready  to  recognize  a  public  need,  whether  of  school  or  library  or 
hospital,  and  to  devote  his  time,  his  energy,  his  money  to  supplying  the  deficiency. 

'Dr.  Pepper,  on  this  occasion,  in  a  happy  imitation  of  Franklin  in  1791,  gave 
$1,000  to  Franklin  and  Marshall  College. 
1180 8 


114  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

No  mau  can  carry  through  such  public  moveuients  who  is  not  himself  liberal,  and 
who  does  not  give  his  full  share  in  every  way  to  support  the  enterprise.  While  the 
author  of  "Poor  Richard"  taught  all  classes  alike  the  value  of  money,  the  duty  of 
economy,  the  pride  of  independence,-and  the  nobility  of  labor,  and  often  by  language 
or  simile  which  may  be  misconstrued  so  as  to  advocate  parsimony,  the  same  self- 
taught,  self-made  m.an  was  incessant  in  all  good  and  liberal  deeds. 

He  recognized  early  the  advantages  of  cooperation,  and  his  treatment  of  deserving 
workmen  is  a  suggestive  point  in  the  history  of  the  relations  of  capital  and  labor. 
Our  greatest  problem  of  to-day  has  to  deal  with  these  relations.  ,  Our  very  prosjierity 
forces  it  into  greater  prominence.  The  liberty  and  political  rights  of  the  individual 
give  to  it  unprecedented  urgency  and  importance.  It  may  not  be  settled  by  force, 
nor  by  legislation,  nor  even  by  the  church;  but  I  believe  it  Avill  be  settled  peace- 
fully and  lawfully,  and  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  all  concerned,  by  a  wide  exten- 
sion of  the  princiiiles  of  organized  cooperation,  based  upon  a  humane  yet  shrewd 
calculation  of  tbe  self-interest  of  both-  parties  to  the  bargain ;  and  I  am  glad  to  be- 
lieve that  as  Franklin  would  have  delighted  to  aid  in  consummating  this  his  sjiirit 
and  the  influence  of  his  teachings  yet  survive  among  us  to  assist  in  its  realization 
and  to  remind  us  that  toil,  thrift,  and  temperance,  with  true  humanity,  are  the  key- 
notes of  the  successful  solution  of  this  great  problem. 

Lord  Brougham  wrote :  "One  of  the  most  remarkable  men,  certainly  of  our  times, 
as  a  politician,  or  of  any  age  as  a  philosopher,  was  Franklin,  who  also  stands  alone 
in  combining  together  these  two  characters,  the  greatest  that  man  can  sustain,  and 
in  this,  that  having  borne  the  first  part  in  enlarging  science  by  one  of  the  greatest 
discoveries  ever  made,  he  bore  the  second  part  in  founding  one  of  the  greatest  empires 
in  the  world."  A  mere  enumeration  of  the  notable  scientific  publications  of  Franklin 
would  be  too  large  for  my  purpose.  All  that  it  behooves  us  to  do  is  to  strive  to  ap- 
preciate the  cfuality  of  this  work,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  done  without  encourage- 
ment or  assistance,  with  the  simplest  self-made  apparatus,  and  in  the  midst  of  dis- 
tracting and  absorbing  business  or  jiolitical  affairs.  A  keen  observer  by  nature,  he 
had  trained  himself  to  such  incessant  activity  of  mind  and  to  the  employment  of  so 
pure  an  inductive  method  that  scarce  anything  escaped  him,  and  every  phenomenon 
observed  started  a  train  of  philosophic  rea.soning  so  clear,  so  direct,  and  so  well  con- 
fined to  the  limits  of  the  probable  and  demonstrable,  that  he  was  capable  of  securing 
astonishing  scientific  results  with  means  apparently  inadequate.  The  only  period  of 
his  life  when  he  gave  himself  up  in  any  sense  to  scientific  investigation,  the  only 
period  during  which  he  was  not  distinctively  engaged  in  some  other  absorbing  pur- 
suit, were  the  five  years,  1747  to  1752,  Avhen  he  began  to  enjoy  the  leisure  earned  by 
hard  but  profitable  work.  All  know  the  outcome  of  this  investigation,  and  that  the 
discoveries  made  by  Franklin  in  electricity,  from  their  entire  originality,  the  breadth 
and  boldness  of  the  generalization  upon  which  they  were  based,  the  accuracy  and 
conclusive  nature  of  the  experiments  by  which  the  hypotheses  were  established,  the 
important  practical  results  indicated  by  him,  and  the  still  more  important  results 
which  have  followed  the  further  prosecution  of  the  same  study,  have  conferred  im- 
mortality upon  him,  and  placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of  the  natural  philosophers 
of  all  times. 

Our  amazement  can  not  be  restrained  when  we  reflect  that  this  work  was  accom- 
plished l>efore  he  was  47  years  of  age,  and  that  never  again  did  he,  who  was  then 
incomparably  the  most  eminent  American,  and  whose  rank  iimong  European  celeb- 
rities speedily  rose  to  the  highest  point,  have  an  opportunity  of  apjilyiug  himself 
continuously  to  scientific  research,  although  from  that  time  to  his  death,  at  the  age 
of  84,  ho  continued  to  produce  remarkable  scientific  papers  containing  original 
observations  or  striking  generalizations,  showing  that  the  pliilosophic  faculty  was 
in  vigorous  action.  It  is  idle  to  speculate  upon  what  results  might  have  followed  a 
continuance  of  Franklin's  scientific  investigations.  It  has  been  granted  to  but  few 
men  to  arrive  at  even  a  single  discovery  of  ^uch  importance  as  that  on  which  his 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING    TO    THE   UNIVERSITY.       115 

scientific  fame  chiefly  rests;  but  in  fertility  of  mind,  originality  of  suggeMtion,  and 
prolonged  iatellectual  and  bodily  vigor  Fninklin  appearH  to  stand  unrivaled. 

We  may  more  reasonably  dwell  on  the  joy  it  Avould  give  him  could  he  return  to 
see  the  position  attained  by  his  favorite  branch  of  science,  and  to  note  that  it  is 
growing  to  be  more  and  more  the  useful  and  reliable  servant  of  man,  ministering  to 
his  daily. Avants  and  rendering  life  more  enjoyable  and  more  healthy.  But  still  more 
would  he  rejoice  to  see  the  laboratories  erected  in  all  parts  of  the  land,  equipped 
with  every  aitplianco  for  scientific  investigation,  and  crowded  with  earnetit,  inge- 
nious students,  for  some  of  Avhom  fame  holds  high  honors.  He  would  feel,  and  with 
just  pride,  that  to  him  more  than  to  any  other  man,  is  due  the  splendid  development 
of  the  scientific  spirit  and  of  scientific  education  in  America,  and  that  the  institu- 
tions, the  societies,  and  the  libraries  he  founded  or  whoso  foundation  he  stimulated, 
are  carrying  forward  and  diffusing  with  ever-increasing  force  the  precious  light  of 
scientific  truth  Avhich  he  kindled  here. 

Franklin  hated  war.  He  hated  it  as  a  Christian,  a  philanthropi/pt,  and  an  econo- 
mist. He  hated  unjust  taxation  scarcely  less.  To  the  familiar  accusations  against 
these  he  added  one,  possibly  original  with  himself,'  and  at  least  very  characteristic 
of  him.  He  charged  them  both  with  the  crime  of  preventing  the  birth  of  children, 
the  one  by  the  downright  murder  of  many  men,  the  other  by  the  interference  with 
the  normal  ratio  of  marriages,  whoso  possible  services  to  the  world  are  unknown 
and  Avell  nigh  infinite.  And  this  veneration  for  the  possibilities  of  the  young  lay 
at  the  root  of  his  ardent  advocacy  of  education  equally  with  his  belief  in  the  con- 
servatism and  elevating  influence  of  all  sound  knowledge.  "  What  is  the  use  of  this 
new  invention?"  some  one  asked  Franklin.  ''  What  is  the  use  of  anew-born  child  t" 
was  his  reply.  What,  indeed,  has  not  been  the  use  of  the  loom  or  the  steam  engine — 
what  not  the  precious  value  of  a  Howard,  a  Newton,  a  Franklin  ? 

I  have  alluded  to  Franklin's  work  as  a  moralist,  a  statesman,  and  a  scientist;  it 
would  be  strange,  indeed,  if  I  were  not  to  speak  here  of  him  as  an  educator  and  as  a 
philanthropist.  He  was  essentially  a  self-educated  man,  and  he  has  left  us  a  charm- 
ing account  of  the  methods  he  pursued  in  educating  himself.  Some  may  imagine 
that  much  of  his  characteristic  strength  and  iisefulness  came  from  these  lessons  of 
early  hardship.  To  me  there  certainly  seems  no  ground  for  any  such  conclusion,  in 
this  or  other  cases,  and  he  certainly  did  not  hold  that  view.  To  assert  that  a  great 
man  who  has  educated  himself  is  greater  on  that  account  involves  improbable 
assumptions.  The  number  of  very  great  men  is  extremely  small.  They  occur  at 
irregular  intervals  of  time  and  space.  When  one  such  occurs,  who  in  addition  to 
the  other  qualities  of  real  greatness,  has  the  added  rare  (luality  of  determination  to 
improve  himself  to  the  utmost,  we  have  the  condition  produced  of  a  lad  with  an 
elective  course  of  studies  secured  under  the  most  unfavorable  surroundings.  I->ank- 
lin  was  preeminently  such  a  lad.  But  while  here  and  there  lads  of  rare  qnalitiee, 
but  lacking  educational  facilities,  surmount  all  obstacles  and  achieve  greatness,  the 
world  can  never  know  how  many  ftiil  to  attain  their  legitimate  development.  It  is 
true  that  under  no  system  of  education  can  we  expect  to  produce  many  such  men  a« 
Goethe,  who  graduated  at  Strasburg;  or  Voltaire,  who  studied  at  the  celebrated 
Jesuit  College  of  I^ouis  le  Grand;  or  Newton,  who  was  an  M.  A.  of  Trinity  College, 
CambrMge;  or  Franklin,  who  was  strictly  self-educated.  But  still  less  can  we 
expect  to  produce  under  any  one  fixed,  unvarying  educational  plan  even  as  many  as 
should  api>ear.  No  system  of  education  should  be  devised  for  the  benefit  of  the«e 
rare  and  exceptional  natures;  but  it  is  among  the  positive  advantages  of  a  well- 
arranged  elective  system  of  studies  that,  while  it  provides  for  the  dull  and  lazy,  it 
affords  the  freest  facility  for  the  development  and  expansion  of  the  gifted  and  the 
industrious.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  Franklin,  having  found  in  his 
own  case  that  excellent  results  were  attained  by  the  thorough  mastery  of  English, 
followed  by  a  study  of  other  nu}dern  languages,  before  taking  up  the  classics, 
should  have  been  led  to  the  conclusion  that  such  is  the  natural  and  best  course. 


116  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Probably  all  are  familiar  with  the  interesting  historj'^  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania. It  had  its  origin  in  the  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  which  was  founded  in 
1749  through  the  exertions  of  Franklin.  In  the  tract  which  he  published  at  that 
time,  entitled  "  ProposJils  relating  to  the  education  of  youth  in  Pennsylvania,"  he 
remarks:  "The  good  education  of  youth  has  been  esteemed  by  wise  men  in  all  ages 
as  surest  foundation  of  the  happiness  both  of  private  families  and  of  pomnion- 
wealths,"  and  then  proceeds  to  describe  with  much  detail  the  course  of  study  pro- 
posed. It  is  noteworthy  that  he  gives  a  foremost  place  to  athletics,  providing 
"that  the  scholars  be  freqtiently  exercised  in  running,  leaping,  wrestling,  and 
swimming,  to  keep  them  in  health,  and  to  strengthen  and  render  active  their 
bodies."  In  this  he  anticijiated  the  systematic  instruction  in  athletics  which  has 
been  introduced  into  our  academies  and  colleges  only  recently,  and  after  much  un- 
reasoning and  ignorant  opposition.  Especial  stress  is  laid  on  the  fullness  and 
thoroughness  with  which  English  is  to  be  taught  to  all  students,  while  in  regard  to 
other  languages  the  following  is  provided:  "All  intended  for  divinity  shall  bo 
taught  the  Latin  and  Greek ;  for  jihysics,  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  French  ;  for  law,  the 
Latin  and  French;  merchants,  the  French,  German,  and  Spanish;  and  though  all 
should  not  be  compelled  to  learn  Latin,  Greek,  or  tlie  modern  foreign  languages,  yet 
none  that  have  an  ardent  desire  to  learn  them  should  be  refused,  their  English, 
arithmetic,  and  other  studies  absolutely  necessary  being  at  the  same  time  not  neg- 
lected." It  is  needless  to  point  out  Avith  what  clearness  the  fundamental  principle 
of  elective  studies  is  here  recognized,  and  how  thoroughly  in  accord  his  conclusions 
as  to  the  study  of  languages  are  with  those  which  are  now  at  last  coming  gradually 
to  be  adopted  generally.  What  followed  in  the  history  of  the  academy  (later  the 
university)  may  be  mentioned  briefly,  because,  if  I  mistake  not,  an  analogous  ex- 
perience was  repeated  here  in  the  early  days  of  Franklin  College.  So  little  heed 
was  given  to  the  proposals  of  the  original  founders,  as  to  the  preeminent  position  to 
be  held  by  English  studies,  that  the  classicists  gradually  acquired  control  of  the 
entire  system  of  education  in  the  institution,  and  in  1789,  the  year  before  Franklin's 
death,  we  iind  him  publishing  a  spirited  and  forcible  protest  against  a  continuance 
of  this  perversion  of  the  original  trust.  It  is  here  that  the  familiar  passage  occurs, 
"at  what  time  hats  were  first  introduced  we  know  not,  but  in  the  last  century  they 
were  universally  Avorn  throughout  Europe.  Gradually,  however,  as  the  wearing  of 
wigs  and  hair  nicely  dressed  prevailed,  the  putting  on  of  hats  was  disused  by 
genteel  people,  lest  the  curious  arrangement  of  curls  and  powdering  should  be  dis- 
ordered, and  umbrellas  began  to  supply  the  place;  yet  still,  our  considering  the  hat 
as  a  part  of  dress  continues  so  far  to  prevail  that  a  man  of  fashion  is  not  thought 
dressed  without  having  one,  or  something  like  one,  about  him,  which  he  carries 
under  his  arm.  So  that  there  are  a  multitude  of  the  politer  people  in  all  the  courts 
and  capital  cities  of  Europe  who  have  never,  or  their  fathers  before  them,  worn  a 
hat  otherwise  than  as  a  chapeau  hras,  though"  the  utility  of  such  a  mode  of  wearing 
it  is  by  no  means  apparent,  and  it  is  attended  not  only  with  some  expense,  but  with 
a  little  degree  of  constant  trouble.  The  still  prevailing  custom  of  having  schools 
for  teaching  generally  our  children  in  these  days  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  I 
consider,  therefore,  in  no  other  light  than  as  a  chapeau  hras  of  modern  literature." 
It  is  not  impossible  that  the  estrangement  of  many  of  the  original  patrotis  and 
trustees  of  the  college,  brought  about  by  this  departure  from  the  proposed  plan, 
may  have  aided,  to  some  extent,  in  causing  the  house  of  assembly  to  arbitrarily  with- 
draw the  charter  and  estates  of  the  college,  thus  causing  a  disastrous  interference 
with  its  work  during  several  years.  And  now,  after  the  lapse  of  a  centurj^,  Ave  see,' 
as  well  in  the  l^niversity  of  Pennsyh'ania  as  in  other  prominent'  colleges,  success 
beginning  to  crown  the  efforts  of  those  who  woiild  insist  on  a  thorough  and  adA'anced 
study  of  English  as  one  of  the  essentials  for  all  English-speaking  students,  while 
arranging  the  other  languages — Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  German,  French,  Italian — in 
associated  elective  groups. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.      117 

But  Franklin's  deep  interest  in  education  was  not  coniined  to  the  great  institution 
of  whicli  he  had  been  the  founder;  nor  was  his  zeal  abated  by  an  absence  in  foreign 
I Dimtries  at  dift'eient  times  for  nearly  thirty  years,  nor  even  by  the  atUinnient  of 
t  he  full  limit  of  fourscore  years.  For  a  long  time  ho  had  taken  great  interest  in  the 
w  tlfai'e  of  the  Germans,  who  formed  the  bulk  of  the  population  in  some  parttt  of 
I'liuisylvania.  He  aided  in  the  establishment  of  schools  for  them,  and  served  oh  a 
tiustee  of  a  societj^for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  among  them;  and  in  1787,  although  in 
Ills  81st  year,  he  was  active  in  the  promotion  of  the  long-cherished  scheme  of  fouud- 
inj^  a  college  for  the  education  of  young  Germans.  On  Marcli  10  of  that  year,  1787, 
an  act  was  passed  by  the  assembly  incorporating  and  endowing  the  "German  Col- 
.  lege  and  Cliarity  School,  in  the  borougli  and  county  of  Lancaster,"  in  which  act  it 
is  recited  that  the  college  is  established  for  the  instruction  of  youth  in  the  German, 
English,  Latin,  Greek,  and  other  learned  languages  in  theology,  and  in  the  useful 
I  arts,  sciences,  and  literature. "  The  same  act  of  incorporation  states  that,  from  a  pro- 
found respect  for  the  talents,  virtues,  and  services  to  mankind  in  general,  but  more 
I  specially  to  this  country,  of  his  Excellency  Benjamin  Franklin,  esq.,  president  of  the 
supreme  executive  council,  the  said  college  shall  be  and  hereby  is  denominated 
•'  Franklin  College."  Franklin  was  the  largest  contributor  to  its  funds,  giving  of 
his  moderate  fortune  the  sum  of  $1,000,  which  may  be  considered  large  for  those 
ilays ;  and  still  more,  when  in  the  spring  of  1787  the  corner  stone  was  to  be  laid  in 
Lancaster,  he  underwent  the  pain  and  fatigue  of  a  journey  thither  in  order  to  per- 
form that  ceremony. 

In  the  year  1787  Franklin  became  a  member  of  the  convention  which 
framed  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States;  of  his  speeches  and  in- 
lluence  in  the  convention  we  will  make  mention  in  considering  his  ideas 
as  illustrated  in  his  writings;  he  was  somewhat  of  a  physiocrat  in  the 
convention,  and  his  ideas  were  in  favor  of  a  hberal  government,  not 
tending  to  monarchy,  nor  so  big  as  to  fall  into  anarchy.  He  was  the 
diplomat  in  the  convention,  and  typified  the  controlling  idea  of  compro- 
mise, which  at  last  gave  us  our  Constitution. 

During  the  closing  years  of  his  life  we  have  glimpses  of  the  persist- 
<  iicy  of  the  ideas  formulated  by  him  many  years  before.  The  well 
Iciiown  account  of  Dr.  Manasseh  Cutler's  visit  to  him  in  July,  1787,  re- 
cords the  interest  which  Dr.  Franklin  still  had  in  natural  history:  "of 
which,"  says  Dr.  Cutler,  "he  seemed  extremely  fond,  while  the  other 
ucntlemen  were  swallowed  up  with  politics." 

When,  on  the  17th  of  September,  the  convention  adjourned,  Franklin 
txerted  himself,  to  promote  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  by  the 
States.  Its  adoption  by  ten  States  occasioned  a  splendid  celebration  in 
IMiiladelphia  in  honor  of  the  event,  when  all  the  interests  of  the  city 
contributed  to  an  industrial  and  civic  parade.  James  Wilson,  a  dele- 
gate in  the  convention  from  Pennsylvania,  eminent  as  a  lawyer,  whose 
services  in  the  convention  Washington  considered  as  unsurpassed,  and 
M'honi  Bryce,  in  his  American  Commonwealth,  has  called  ''the  greatest 
lawyer  in  the  convention,"  professor  of  law  in  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  later  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
pronounced  an  oration.  In  the  industrial  parade  there  was  drawn  a 
car  upon  which  was  operated  a  printing  press,  and  from  this  press  was 
scattered  among  the  people  a  song  in  honor  of  the  trades,  written  by 


118  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Franklin,  and  suggestive  of   liis    utilitarian  notions.      Some  of  tlie 
stanzas  as  given  by  Parton'  are: 

Ye  tailors !  of  am-ient  aud  noble  reuowu, 
Who  clothe  all  the  people  in  country  aud  town, 
Remember  that  Adam,  your  father  and  head, 
Though  Lord  of  the  world,  was  a  tailor  by  trade. 

Ye  shoemakers !  noble  from  ages  long  past, 
Have  defended  your  rights  witli  your  aivl  to  the  last; 
, .     Aud  cobblers  so  merry,  not  only  stop  holes, 

But  work  night  and  day  for  the  good  of  our  soles. 

Ye  hatters !  who  oft  with  hands  not  very  fair. 
Fix  hats  on  a  block  for  a  blockhead  to  wear ; 
Though  charity  covers  a  sin  now  and  then, 
Youvsover  the  heads  and  the  sins  of  all  men. 

And  carders,  aiul  spiuuera,  and  weavers  attend. 
And  take  the  advice  of  Poor  Richard,  your  friend. 
Stick  close  to  your  looms,  your  wheels,  and  your  card. 
And  you  never  need  fear  of  the  times  being  hard. 

Ye  coopers !  who  rattle  with  drivers  and  adz, 
A  lecture  each  day  upon  hoops  and  on  heads. 
The  famous  old  ballad  of  Love  in  a  Tub, 
You  may  sing  to  the  tune  of  your  rub-a-dub-dub. 

Each  tradesman  turn  out  with  his  tools  in  his  hand. 
To  cherish  the  arts  and  keep  peace  in  the  land ; 
Each  'prentice  and  journeyman  may  join  in  my  song. 
And  let  the  brisk  chorus  go  bounding  along. 

The  lines  suggest  how  Franklin  viewed  the  world  as  an  opportunity 
for  an  industrious  and  intelligent  apprentice. 

Three  times  did  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  make  Franklin 
its  president,  an  honor  which  greatly  gratified  him. 

Old  age  had  crept  upon  him  but  his  mental  powers  were  undimin- 
i.shed,  and  his  opinion  of  himself  he  expressed  when  he  said,  "I  seem  to 
have  intruded  myself  into  the  company  of  posterity." 


'There  is  an  interesting  and  perhaps  curious  illustration  of  changes  in  times  and 
manners  in  a  passage  by  Parton  concerning  the  things  which  Franklin  would  par- 
ticularly notice  had  he  returned  to  this  world  twenty-flve  years  ago.  "He  some- 
times amused  his  friends  with  humorous  jiredictions  of  inventi(ms  yet  to  be  aud  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  revisit  the  earth  at  the  end  of  the  century  to  see  how  man  was 
getting  on.  Would  that  he  couhl.  How  pleasant  to  show  the  shade  of  Franklin 
about  the  modem  world.  What  would  he  say  of  the  Great  Eastern,  the  Erie  Canal, 
the  locomotive,  the  telegraph,  the  Hoe  printing  press,  the  steam  typesetter,  chloro- 
form, the  sewing  machine,  the  Continental  Hotel,  the  Fairmount  waterworks,  the 
improved  strawberry,  the  omnibus,  gus  light,  the  sanitary  commission.  Dr.  Buckle's 
History,  Mill's  Political  Economy,  Herbert  Spencer's  First  Principles,  Adam  Bede, 
David  Coppertield.  the  Philadelpliia  High  School,  Henry  Ward  Beecher's  church, 
the  Heart  of  the  Andes!  Surely  he  ^ould  admit  that  we  have  done  pretty  well  iu 
the  seventy-five  years  that  have  passed  since  he  left."— Editok. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING*  TO  .THE    UNIVERSITY.       119 


He  approaclied  his  death  with  calmness,  and  if  he  had  neglected  to 
practice  order  in  his  life,  he  made  an  orderly  preparation  for  his  death. 
His  will,  an  elaborate  document,  sought  to  perpetuate  in  its  provisions 
of  a  public  nature  the  utilitarian  ideas  of  its  author.  He  seemed  to 
have  remembered  his  scheme  of  prizes  in  his  sketch  of  an  English 
school,  and  gave  £100  to  the  managers  of  the  Boston  free  schools,  the 
interest  of  which  was  to  be  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  silver  medals 
for  the  encouragement  of  scholarship  in  these  schools.  He  sought  to 
make  his  benevolence  immortal;  it  is  said  that  his  scheme  is  derived 
from  a  French  work  by  Mathon  de  la  Cour,  but  the  idea  is  probably 
his  own,  as  he  had  suggested  in  his  loan  to  Benjamin  Webb: 

I  send  you  herewith  a  hill  for  ten  louis  tl'ors.  I  do  not  pretend  to  give  such  a  sum; 
I  only  lend  it  to  yon;  When  you  shall  return  to  your  country  with  a  good  character, 
you  ran  not  fail  of  getting  into  some  business  that  will  in  time  enable  yoti  to  pay  all 
your  debts.  In  that  case,  when  you  meet  with  another  honest  man  in  similar  dis- 
tress, you  must  pay  me  by  lending  this  sum  to  him ;  enjoining  him  to  discharge  the 
debt  by  a  like  operation,  when  he  shall  be  able,  and  shall  meet  with  such  another 
opportunity.  I  hope  it  may  thus  go  through  many  hands,  before  it  meets  with  a 
knave  that  will  stop  its  progress.  This  is  a  trick  of  mine  for  doing  a  deal  of  good 
with  a  little  money.  I  am  not  rich  enough  to  afford  much  in  good  works,  and  so  am 
obliged  to  be  cunning  and  make  the  most  of  a  little. 

Franklin's  plan  was  for  the  benefit  of  artisan's  and  apprentices,  and 
illustrates  the  utilitarian  tendency  of  his  life.    It  was  as  follows : 

I  have  considered  that  among  artisans  good  apprentices  are  most  likely  to  make 
gOod  citizens,  and  having  myself  been  bred  to  a  manual  art,  printing,  in  my  native 
town,  and  afterwards  assisted  to  set  up  my  business  in  Philadelphia  by  kind  loans  of 
money  from  two  friends  there,  which  was  the  foundation  of  my  fortune,  and  of  all 
the  utility  in  life  that  may  be  ascribed  to  me,  I  wish  to  be  useful  even  after  my 
death,  if  possible,  in  forming  and  advancing  other  young  men,  that  may  be  service- 
able to  their  country  in  both  those  towns.  To  this  end  I  devote  two  thousand  pounds 
sterling,  of  which  I  give  one  thousand  thereof  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Bos- 
ton, in  Massachusetts,  and  the  other  thoiisand  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia, in  trust,  "to  and  for  the  uses,  intents,  and  purposes  hereinafter  mentioned 
and  declared. 

The  said  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  sterling,  if  accepted  by  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town  of  Boston,  shall  bo  managed  under  the  direction  of  the  selectmen,  nnited 
with  the  ministers  of  the  oldest  Episcopalian,  Congregational,  and  Presbyterian 
churches  in  that  town,  who  are  to  let  out  the  same  upon  interest  at  five  per  cent  per 
annum  to  such  young  married  artificers,  under  the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  as  have 
served  an  apprenticeship  in  the  said  town,  and  faithfully  fulfilled  the  duties  required 
in  their  indentures,  so  as  to  obtain  a  good  moral  character  from  at  least  two  respect- 
able citizens,  who  are  willing  to  become  their  sureties,  in  a  bond  with  the  applicants, 
for  the  repayment  of  the  moneys  so  lent,  with  interest,  according  to  the  terms  here- 
inafter prescribed ;  all  of  which  bonds  are  to  be  taken  for  Spanish  milled  dollars,  or 
the  value  thereof  in  current  gold  coin;  and  the  managers  shall  keep  a  bound  book  or 
books,  wherein  shall  be  entered  the  names  of  those  who  shall  apply  for  and  receive 
the  benefits  of  this  institution,  and  of  their  securities,  together  with  the  smns  lent, 
the  dates,  and  other  necessary  and  proper  records  respecting  the  business  and  con- 
cerns of  this  institution.  And  as  these  loans  are  intended  to  assist  young  married 
artificers  in  setting  up  their  business,  they  are  to  be  proportioned,  by  the  discretion 
of  the  managers,  so  as  not  to  exceed  sixty  pounds  sterling  to  one  person,  nor  to  be 
less  than  fifty  pounds;  and  if  the  number  of  appliers  so  entitled  should  be  so  large 
as  that  the  sum  will  not  suflfice  to  afford  to  each  as  much  as  might  otherwise  not  be 


120  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

improper,  the  proportion  to  each  flhall  l»e  (liininisbecl,  so  us  to  a  fiord  to  every  one 
8ome  afisistance.  These  aids  may,  therefore,  be  small  at  first,  but,  as  the  capital  in- 
creases by  the  accumulated  interest,  they  will  be  more  ample.  And,  iu  order  to 
serve  as  many  as  possible  in  their  turn,  as  well  as  to  make  the  repayment  of  the  prin- 
cipal borrowed  more  easy,  each  borrower  shall  be  obliged  to  pay,  with  the  yearly  in- 
terest, one  tenth  part  of  the  principal,  which  sums  of  the  principal  and  interest,  so 
paid  in,  shall  be  again  let  out  to  fresh  borrowers. 

And,  as  it  is  presumed  that  there  will  always  be  found  in  Boston  virtuous  and 
benevolent  citizens,  willing  to  bestow  a  part  of  their  time  in  doing  good  to  the  ris- 
ing generation,  by  superintending  and  managing  this  institution  gratis,  it  is  hoped 
that  no  part  of  the  money  will,  at  any  time  be  t^ead  or  be  diverted  to  other  purposes, 
but  be  continually  augmenting  by  the  interest;  in  which  case  there  may,  in  time,  be 
more  than  the  occasion  in  Boston  shall  require,  and  then  some  may  be  spared  to  the 
neighboring  or  other  towns  in  the  said  State  of  Massachusetts,  who  may  desire  to 
have  it;  such  towns  engaging  to  pay  punctually  the  interest  and  the  portions  of  the 
principal  annually  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Boston. 

If  this  plan  is  executed,  and  succeeds  as  projected  without  interruption,  for  one 
hundred  years,  the  sum  will  then  be  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  pounds ; 
of  which  I  would  have  the  managers  of  the  donation  to  the  town  of  Boston  then 
lay  out  at  their  discretion  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  in  public  works,  which 
may  be  judged  of  the  most  general  utility  to  the  inhabitants;  such  as  fortifications, 
bridges,  aqueducts,  public  buildings,  baths,  pavements,  or  whatever  may  make 
living  in  the  town  more  convenient  to  its  people,  and  render  it  more  agreeable  to 
strangers  resorting  thither  for  health  or  a  temporary  residence.  The  remaining 
thirty-one  thousand  pounds  I  would  have  continued  to  be  let  out  on  interest,  in  the 
manner  above  directed  for  another  hundred  years,  as  I  hope  it  will  have  been  found 
that  the  institution  has  had  a  good  effect  on  the  conduct  of  youth,  and  been  of 
service  to  many  worthy  characters  and  useful  citizens.  At  the  end  of  this  second 
term,  if  no  unfortunate  accident  has  prevented  the  operation,  the  sum  will  be  four 
millions  and  sixty-one  thousand  pounds  sterling ;  of  which  I  leave  one  million  sixty- 
one  thousand  pounds  to  the  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  towh  of  Boston, 
and  three  millions  to  the  disposition  of  the  government  of  the  State,  not  presuming 
to  carry  my  views  further. 

All  the  directions  herein  given  respecting  the  disposition  and  management  of  the 
donation  to  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  I  would  have  observed  respecting  that  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia  only,  as  Philadelphia  is  incorporated,  I  request  the 
corporation  of  that  city  to  undertake  the  management,  agreeably  to  tho  said  direc- 
tions; and  I  do  hereby  vest  them  with  fully  and  ample  powers  for  that  purpose." 

Such  wa»  the  plan  adopted  by  Franklin,  for  the  benefit  of  a  class  he 
always  lovetl— skillful,  honest  mechanics.  We  shall  have  to  state,  by 
and  by,  what  success  has  attended  the  benevolent  project. 

In  1789  he  was  rarely  free  from  pain  and  was  confined  to  his  bed 
much  of  the  time;  we  learn  of  him  by  his  letters,  which  though  less 
frequent,  were  equal  to  any  that  have  made  his  correspondence  so 
valuable  and  interesting.  Though  suffering  great  agony  he  attempts 
mental  relief  in  reading  Johnson's  Lives  of  the  Poets,  and  a  life  of 
Watts,  his  favorite  author.  His  opinion  of  Watts  anticipated  the 
judgment  of  thousands  who  have  found  that  poet  their  comfort.  It 
was  at  this  time  also  that  he  wrote  his  protest  against  the  study  of 
Latin  and  Greek  in  preference  to  the  study  of  Euglish,i  in  which,  as 
we  have  said,  he  anticipated  the  reforms  in  modern  education. 


'  See  observations    relating  to  the  intentions  of  the  original  founders  of  the 
Academy,  in  Philadelphia,  June,  1789.     Supra. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO    THE    UNIVERSITY.       121 

In  August,  1787,  the  Library  Company,  ^  the  outgrowth  of  the  Junto 
of  half  a  century  before,  laid  the  corner- stoue  of  its  new  building  in 
Philadelphia  on  Fifth  street,  opposite  the  State  House- 
Franklin,  unable  on  account  of  his  infirmities  to  attend  the  ceremony, 
wrote  the  inscription  for  the  corner-stone,  omitting  any  mention  of  him- 
self.   The  committee  amended  the  inscription,  which  reads  : 

Be  it  remembered 

In  honor  of  the  Philadelphia  Youth, 

(then  chiefly  artificers) 

that  in  MDCCXXXI., 

they  cheerfully, 

at  the  instance  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 

one  of  their  number, 

instituted  the  Philadelphia  Library, 

which,  though  small  at  first, 

is  become  highly  valuable  and  extensively  useful 

and  which  the  walls  of  this  edifice 

are  now  destined  to  contain  and  preserve, 

the  first  stone  of  whose  foundation 

was  here  placed, 

the  thirty-first  day  of  August,  1789.2 

Perhaps  no  institution  founded  by  Franklin  illustrates  his  sagacity 
and  usefulness  better  than  the  Philadelphia  Library.  We  referred 
briefly  to  its  origin  in  the  Junto.  In  1880  a  new  library  building  was 
erected  at  the  corner  of  Juniper  and  Locust  streets,  and  in  1878  the 
magnificent  structure  known  as  the  Eidgeway  Branch  at  Broad  and 
Christian  was  erected.  The  report  of  the  Library  Company  in  May, 
1892,  shows  that  during  the  year  then  ending  there  had  been  at  the 
Locust  street  building  77,397  visitors  on  week  days,  41,361  books  had 
been  taken  out,  and  that  there  had  been  6,074  visitors  on  Sundays 
who  had  asked  at  the  desk  for  5,387  books.  At  the  Ridgeway  Branch 
there  had  been  on  week  days  3,325  visitors,  1,329  books  had  been  given 
out,  and  4,490  had  been  used  in  the  Library,  and  on  Sundays  there  had 
been  1,561  visitors,  using  856  books.  The  volumes  added  to  the 
Ridgeway  Branch,  to  the  Logauian  Library,  and  to  the  Library  Com- 
pany, for  the  Locust  Street  building  was  4,296,  making  a  total  number 
of  books  in  the  Library  of  166,714  volumes.  The  receipts  of  the  Li- 
brary Company  for  1891-'92  were  $68,665.56  and  the  balance  carried 
forward  to  the  credit  of  the  Company  for  the  year  in  the  treasury  was 
$18,165.67.  This  magnificent  showing  illustrates  the  splendid  out- 
growth of  Franklin's  idea  in  founding  a  circulating  library  which 
started  in  1732  with  a  membership  of  12  persons  and  a  voluntary  con- 
tribution of  some  fifty  books. 

'  By  an  order  of  the  directors  of  the  Library  Company,  August  31, 1774,  the  dele- 
gates to  the  first  Continental  Congress  were  allowed  the  use  of  such  of  the  books  of 
the  library  as  they  might  have  occasion  for  during  the  sitting.  (Elliots  Debates, 
Vol.  I,  43). 

'The  original  stone  was  discovered  a  few  years  ago,  and  is  now  set  iu  the  north 
wall  of  the  Library  building,  Locust  and  Juniper  streets. 


122  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  last  public  act  of  Franklin  was  in  keeping  with  his  whole  phil- 
osophy of  life;  it  was  his  reply,  written  on  the  23d of  March,  1790,  but 
liG  days  before  his  death,  to  a  speech  of  Mr.  Jackson  in  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  on  slavery.  It  was  addressed  to  the  edit-or  of 
the  Federal  Gazette,  and  is  in  Franklin's  happiest  style.  The  essay 
pretended  to  be  a  speech  delivered  in  the  Divan  of  Algiers  in  1687, 
against  the  petition  of  the  sect  called  Urika  or  Purists  who  prayed  for 
the  abolition  of  piracy  and  slavery  as  being  unjust.  All  the  arguments 
advanced  in  favor  of  negro  slavery  were  applied  in  this  speech  with  equal 
force  in  the  justification  of  the  plundering  and  enslaving  of  Europeans. 
"  Dr.  Stuber,  a  distinguished  Philadelphian  of  that  day,"  says  Parton, 
''  mentions  that  many  persons  searched  the  book  stores  and  libraries  of 
the  town  for  'Martin's  Account  of  his  Consulship,  anno  1687,'  from 
which  the  speech  of  Sidi  Mehemet  Ibrahim  was  said  to  have  been 
taken."' 

This  grand  protest  against  slavery  was  a  happy  bequest  of  Franklin 
to  mankind.    From  his  persuasion — 

That  equal  liberty  waB  originally  the  portion,  and  is  still  the  birth-right,  of  all 
men,  and  influenced  by  the  strong  ties  of  humanity,  and  the  principles  of  their  insti- 
tution •  •  *  to  use  all  justifiable  endeavors  to  loosen  the  bands  of  slavery,  and 
promote  a  general  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  freedom. 

A  few  days  before  his  death,  in  reply  to  a  request  from  his  old  friend 
Ezra  Stiles,  President  of  Yale  College,  asking  him  to  give  his  portrait 
for  the  college  library,  Franklin  answered  with  respect  to  his  own  relig- 
ions opinions: 

Here  is  my  creed.  I  believe  in  one  Qod,  the  Creator  of  the  Universe.  That  he 
governs  it  by  his  Providence.  That  he  ought  to  be  worshipped.  The  most  accept- 
hle  service  we  render  to  him  is  doing  good  to  his  other  children.  The  soul  of  man  is 
immortal  and  will  be  treated  with  justice  in  another  life  respecting  its  conduct  in 
this.  These  I  lake  to  be  the  fundamental  points  in  all  sound  religion,  and  I  regard 
them,  as  you  do,  in  whatever  sect  I  meet  with  them. 

A.H  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  my  opinion  of  whom  you  particularly  desire,  I  think  his 
system  of  morals  and  his  religion,  as  he  left  them  to  us,  the  best  the  world  ever  saw, 
of  is  like  to  see ;  but  I  apprehend  it  has  received  various  corrupting  changes,  and  I 
have,  with  most  of  the  present  Dissenters  in  England,  some  doubts  as  to  his  divinity; 
though  it  is  a  question  I  do  not  dogmatize  upon,  having  never  studied  it,  and  think 
It  needless  to  busy  myself  with  it  now,  when  I  expect  soon  an  opportunity  of  know- 
i  ng  the  truth  with  less  trouble.  I  see  no  harm,  however,  in  its  being  believed,  if  that 
belief  has  the  goo«l  consequence,  as  probably  it  has,  of  making  his  doctrines  more 
re«pected  and  more  observed ;  especially  as  I  do  not  perceive  that  the  Supreme  takes 
It  amisH,  by  distinguishing  the  unbelievers  in  his  government  of  the  world  with  any 
peculiar  mark  of  displeasure. 

I  shall  only  add,  respecting  myself,  that,  having  experienced  the  goodness  of  that 
Being  in  conducting  me  prosperously  through  a  long  life,  I  have  no  doubt  of  its 
continuance  in  the  next,  though  without  the  smallest  conceit  of  meriting  such 
goodnem. 

P.  8.— I  confide  that  you  will  not  expose  me  to  criticisms  and  censures  by  publish- 
ing any  part  of  this  communication  to  you.  I  have  ever  let  others  enjoy  their  relig- 
ious sentiment*  without  retlectiug  on  tbem  for  those  that  appeared  to  me  unsupport- 

'  See  the  article  in  fall  Rigelow,  Vol.  x. 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.       123 

able  or  eveu  absurd.  All  sects  here,  and  we  Lave  a  great  variety,  have  experienced 
my  good  will  in  assisting  them  with  subscriptions  for  the  building  their  new  jdaces 
of  worship ;  aud,  as  I  have  never  ojjposed  any  of  their  doctrines,  I  hope  to  go  out 
of  the  world  in  peace  with  them  all. 

As  death  approached  and  his  strength  failed,  his  breatlung  became 
oppressed  and  some  one  suggested  a  change  of  position  that  he  might 
breathe  easier;  Franklin,  conscious  of  the  change  through  which  he 
was  passing,  said,  "A  dying  man  can  do  nothing  easy."  Soon  after 
he  passed  away.^ 

The  news  of  Franklin's  death  was  received  with  sorrow  throughout 
the  civilized  world.  The  city  of  his  adoption  gave  him  an  honorable 
burial.  Four  days  after  his  death  his  body  was  laid  at  rest  by  the  side 
of  his  beloved  wife  in  the  burial  ground  of  Christ  Church  on  Arch 
street,  near  Fifth.^ 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  the  22d  of  April,  James  Madison 
spoke  of  Franklin  as  "  an  illustrious  character  whose  native  genius  has 
rendered  distinguished  service  to  the  cause  of  science  and  of  mankind 
in  general,  and  whose  patriotic  exertions  have  contributed  in  a  high 
degree  to  the  independence  and  prosperity  of  this  country." 

At  Yale  College  its  president.  Dr.  Stiles,  jjreached  a  sermon  on  the 
character  of  Franklin,  and  at  the  request  of  the  American  Philosoph- 
ical Society,  Dr.  William  Smith,  one  of  its  members,  pronounced  the 
well-known  eulogy  on  the  character  and  services  of  Franklin. 

On  the  11th  of  June  Mirabeau  spoke  before  the  National  Legislature 
of  France  in  eulogy  of  Franklin.  His  speech  has  been  long  familiar  to 
Americans  in  their  reading  books,  although  in  late  years  it  has  not 
been  so  frequently  printed. 

Franklin  is  dead !  The  genius  that  freed  America  and  poured  a  flood  of  light  over 
Europe  has  returned  to  the  bosom  of  the  Divinity. 

The  sage  whom  two  worlds  claim  as  their  own,  the  man  for  whom  the  hiatory  of 
science  and  the  history  of  empires  contend  with  each  other,  held,  withoat  donbt,  a 
high  rank  in  the  human  race. 

Too  long  have  political  cabinets  taken  formal  note  of  the  death  of  those  who  were 

'He  died  Ai)ril  17,  1790,  at  11  p.  m.,  aged  84  years,  3  months,  and  11  days. 

'The  order  of  the  procession  was :  All  the  clergy  of  the  city  before  the  corpse;  the 
corpse,  carried  by  citizens;  the  pall,  supported  by  the  president  of  the  State,  the 
chief-justice,  the  president  of  the  bank,  Samuel  Powell,  WUliam  Bingham,  and 
David  Ritteuhouse,  esquires;  mourners,  consisting  of  the  family  of  the  deceased 
with  a  number  of  particular  friends;  the  secretary  and  members  of  the  supreme  ex- 
ecutive council;  the  speaker  and  members  of  the  general  assembly;  judges  of  the 
supreme  court  and  other  officers  of  the  Government;  the  gentlemen  of  the  bar;  the 
mayor  aud  corporation  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia;  the  printers  of  the  city  with 
their  journeymen  and  apprentices;  the  philosophical  society,  the  college  of  physi- 
cians; the  Cincinnati;  the  college  of  Philadelphia;  sundry  other  societies,  together 
with  a  numerous  and  respectable  body  of  citizens. 

The  conco  urse  of  spectators  was  greater  than  ever  was  known  on  a  like  occasion. 
It  is  computed  that  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  persons  attended  and  witnessed 
the  funeral,  the  order  and  silence  which  prevailed  during  the  procession  deeply 
evinced  the  heartfelt  sense  entertained  by  all  classes  of  citizens,  of  the  nnparallelled 
virtues,  talents,  and  services  of  the  deceased. 


124  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

great  ouly  iu  th^ir  funeral  panegyrics.  Too  long  has  the  etiquette  of  courts  pre- 
ei-ribed  hypocritical  mourning.  Nations  should  wear  raouming  only  for  their  bene- 
factors. Thf  n-prest'utatives  of  nations  should  reconuuend  to  their  homage  none  but 
the  heroes  of  humanity. 

The  Congress  has  ordained,  throughout  the  United  States,  a  mourning  of  oue 
mouth  for  the  death  of  Franklin,  and  at  this  moment  America  is  paying  this  tribute 
ot  veneration  and  gratitude  to  one  of  the  fathers  of  her  Constitution. 

Would  it  not  become  us,  gentlemen,  to  join  iu  this  religious  act,  to  bear  a  part  in 
this  homage,  rendered,  in  the  face  of  the  world,  both  to  the  rights  of  man  and  to 
the  phiiosoplier  who  has  most  contributed  to  extend  their  sway  over  the  whole 
earth  f  Antiquity  w<mld  have  raised  altars  to  this  mighty  genius,  who,  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  mankind,  compassing  in  his  mind  the  heavens  and  earth,  was  able  to 
restrain  alike  thunderbolts  and 'tyrants.  P3urope,  enlightened  and  free,  owes  at 
least  a  token  of  remembrance  and  regret  to  one  of  the  greatest  men  who  has  ever 
been  engaged  in  the  service  of  philosophy  and  liberty. 

I  propose  that  it  l»o  decreed  tliat  the  National  Assemhly,  during  three  days,  shall 
wear  mourning  for  Benjamin  Franklin, 

Tlie  Society  of  Priuters  of  Paris  paid  honors  to  his  memory  on  the 
day  of  the  municipal  celebration.  Conspicuous  in  an  apartment  of  the 
Cafe  Procope  was  placed  a  bust  of  Franklin,  and  beneath  it  on  the 
pedestal  was  engraved  the  significant  word  '<  Vir." 

It  is  inexpedient,  as  well  as  far  from  my  purpose  in  this  humble  effort, 
to  sketch  the  influence  of  Frfinklin's  ideas  in  education,  for  me  to  make 
(juotations  from  the  numerous  estimates  of  Franklin  by  his  contempo- 
raries and  by  posterity,  but  a  few  of  these  may  be  quoted  to  show  the 
general  opinion  of  liis  educational  influence.  It  will  be  noticed  in  those 
from  which  I  (luotethatit  is  of  Franklin,  the  self-taught  American,  the 
self-educated  man,  the  scientist,  the, projector  of  useful  schemes,  the 
benefactor,  the  philanthropist,  the  lover  of  his  kind,  the  utilitarian 
philosopher,  that  eulogy  is  pronounced.  ' 

Lord  Jeffreys,  in  the  Edinburgh  Review,  of  July,  1806,  says— 

This  self-taught  American  is  the  most  rational,  perhaps,  of  all  philosophers.  He 
never  loses  sight  of  common  sense  in  any  of  his  speculations,  and  when  his  philoso- 
phy does  not  consist  entirely  in  its  fair  and  vigorous  application,  it  is  always  regu- 
lated and  controlled  by  it  in  its  application  and  result.  No  individual,  perhaps, 
ever  pos-Hessed  a  juster  understanding,  or  was  so  seldom  obstructed  in  the  use  of  it 
by  indolence,  enthusiasm,  or  authority.  Dr.  Franklin  received  ho  regular  educa- 
tion, and  \w  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  lifi>  in  a  society  where  there  was  no  relish 
and  no  encouragement  for  literature.  On  an  ordinary  mind,  these  circumstances 
would  have  produced  tlieir  usual  eft'ects  of  repressing  all  sorts  of  intellectual  ambi- 
tion or  activity,  and  perpetuating  a  generation  of  incurious  mechanics;  but  to  an 
underatanding  like  Franklin's,  we  can  not  help  considering  them  as  peculiarly  pro- 
pitiinin,  and  imagine  that  we  can  trace  back  to  them  distinctly  almost  all  the  pecu- 
liarities of  his  intelle(  tnal  character.  Regular  education,  we  think,  is  unfavorable 
to  vigor  or  originality  of  understanding.  Like  civilization,  it  makes  society  more 
intelligent  and  agreeable,  but  it  levels  the  distinctions  of  nature.  It  strengthens 
and  mbxbU  the  feeble,  but  it  deprives  the  strong  of  his  triumph,  and  casts  down  the 
hopes  of  the  aspiring.  It  accflm])lisbes  this,  not  only  by  training  up  the  mind  in  a 
habitual  veneration  for  authorities,  but  by  leatling  us  to  bestow  a  disproportionate 
degree  of  attention  upon  studies  that  are  only  valuable  as  keys  or  instruments  for 
the  understanding;  tliey  come  at  last  to  be  regarded  as  ultimate  objects  of  pursuit, 
and  the  means  .»f  education  are  absurdly  mistaken  for  its  end.    How  many  powerful 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.       125 

understiindingB  have  been  lost  in  the  Dialectics  of  Aristotle !  And  of  liow  much 
good  philosophy  are  we  daily  defrauded  by  the  preposterous  error  of  taking  a 
knowledge  of  prosody  for  useful  learning!  The  mind  of  a  man  who  has  escaped 
this  training  will  at  least  have  fair  play.  Whatever  other  errors  ho  may  fall  into, 
he  will  be  safe  at  least  from  these  infatuations.  If  he  thinks  proper,  after  he  grows 
up,  to  study  Greek,  it  will  be  for  some  better  jiurpose  than  to  become  acquainted 
with  its  dialects.  His  prejudices  Avill  be  those  of  a  man,  and  not  of  a  school  boy, 
and  his  siieculations  and  conclusions  will  bo  independent  of  the  maxims  of  tutors 
and  the  oracles  of  literary  patrons.  The  consequences  of  living  in  a  refined  and 
literary  community  arc  nearly  of  the  same  kind  with  those  of  a  regular  education. 
There  are  so  many  critics  to  be  satislied,  so  many  qualifications  to  be  established,  so 
many  rivals  to  encounter,  and  so  much  derision  to  be  hazarded,  that  a  young  man  is 
apt  to  be  deterred  from  so  perilous  an  enterprise,  and  led  to  seek  for  distinction  in 
some  safer  lino  of  exertion.  He  is  discouraged  by  the  fame  and  perfection  of  certain 
models  and  favorites,  who  are  always  in  the  mouths  of  his  judges,  and,  "under  them 
his  genius  is  rebuked,"  and  his  originality  repressed,  till  he  sinks  into  a  paltry  copy- 
ist or  aims  at  distinction  by  extravagance  and  aflFectation.  In  such  a  state  of  society 
he  feels  that  mediocrity  has  no  chance  of  distinction ;  and  what  beginner  can  expect 
to  rise  at  once  into  excellence?  He  imagines  that  mere  good  sense  will  attract  no 
attention,  and  that  the  manner  is  of  much  more  importance  than  the  matter  in  a 
candidate  for  public  admiration.  In  his  attention  to  the  manner  the  matter  is  apt 
to* be  neglected,  and  in  his  solicitude  to  pleaae  those  who  require  elegance  of  diction, 
brilliancy  of  wit,  or  harmony  of  periods,  he  is  in  some  daager  of  forgetting  that 
strength  of  reason  and  accuracy  of  observation  by  which  he  first  proposed  t«  recom- 
mend himself.  His  attention,  Avhen  extended  to  so  many  collateral  object*,  is  no 
longer  vigorous  or  collected;  the  stream,  divided  into  so  many  channels,  ceases  to 
flow  either  deep  or  strong ;  he  becomes  an  unsuccessful  pretender  to  fine  writing, 
and  is  satisfied  with  the  frivolous  praise  of  elegance  or  vivacity. 

We  are  disposed  to  ascribe  so  much  power  to  these  obstructions  to  intellectual 
originality,  that  we  can  not  help  fancying  that  if  Franklin  had  been  bred  in  a  col- 
lege he  would  have  contented  himself  with  expounding  the  meters  of  Pinda,  and 
mixing  argument  with  his  port  in  the  common  room ;  and  that  if  Boston  had  abounded 
with  men  of  letters  he  would  never  have  ventured  to  come  forth  from  his  printing 
house,  or  been  driven  back  to  it,  at  any  rate,  by  the  sneers  of  the  critics,  after  the 
first  publication  of  his  essays  in  the  "Busybody."  This  will  probably  be  thought 
exaggerated ;  but  it  can  not  be  denied,  we  think,  that  the  contrary  circumstances  in 
his  history  had  a  powerful  effect  in  determining  the  character  of  his  understanding, 
and  in  producing  those  peculiar  habits  of  reasoning  and  investigation  by  which  his 
writings  are  distinguished.  He  was  encouraged  to  publish  because  there  was  scarcely 
any  one  around  him  whom  he  could  not  easily  excel.  He  ^Vroto  with  great  brevity, 
because  he  had  not  leisure  for  more  voluminous  compositions,  and  because  he  knew 
that  the  readers  to  wJiom  he  addressed  himself  were,  for  the  most  part,  as  busy  as 
himself.  For  the  same  reason  he  studied  great  perspicuity  and  simplicity  of  state- 
ment ;  his  countrymen  had  no  relish  for  fine  writing,  and  could  not  easily  be  made 
to  understand  a  deduction  depending  on  a  long  or  elaborate  process  of  reasoning. 
He  was  forced,  therefore,  to  concentrate  what  he  had  to  say;  and  since  he  had  no 
chance  of  being  admired  for  the  beauty  of  his  composition,  it  was  natural  for  him 
to  aim  at  making  an  impression  by  the  force  and  the  clearness  of  his  statements. 
His  conclusions  were  often  rash  and  inaccurate,  from  the  same  circumstances  which 
rendered  his  productions  concise.  Philosophy  and  speculation  did  not  form  the  busi- 
ness of  his  life,  nor  did  he  dedicate  himself  to  any  particular  study  with  a  view  to 
exhaust  and  complete  the  investigation  of  it  in  all  its  parts  and  under  all  its  relations. 
He  engaged  in  every  interesting  inquiry  that  suggested  itself  to  him,  rather  as  the 
necessary  exercise  of  a  powerful  and  active  mind  than  as  a  task  which  he  had  bound 
himseL  to  perform      He  cast  a  quick  and  penetrating  glance  over  the  facts  and  the 


126  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA.. 

data  that  were  presented  to  hiui,  and  drew  liis  conclusions  with  a  rapidity  and  pre- 
cision that  have  not  often  been  equaled;  but  he  did  not  stop  to  examine  the  com- 
pU>tene«K  of  the  data  upon  which  lie  proceeded,  nor  to  consider  the  ultimate  effect  or 
application  of  the  principles  to  which  he  had  been  conducted.  In  all  questions,  there- 
fore, where  the  facta  upon  which  he  was  to  determine  and  the  materials  from  which 
his  judgment  was  to  be  formed  were  either  few  in  number  or  of  such  a  nature  as  not 
to  be  overlooked,  his  reasons  are  for  the  most  part  perfectly  just  and  conclusive  and 
bis  decisions  unexceptionably  sound,  hut  Avhcre  the  elements  of  the  calculation  were 
more  numerous  and  widely  scattered  it  apjiears  to  us  that  he  has  often  1)een  precipi- 
tate, and  that  he  has  cither  boon  misled  by  a  partial  apprehension  of  the  conditions 
of  the  problem  or  has  discovered  only  a  portion  of  the  truth  which  lay  before  him. 

In  all  physical  inquiries,  in  almost  all  questions  of  particular  and  immediate  policy, 
and  in  much  of  what  relates  to  the  practical  wisdom  and  happiuess  of  private  life,  his 
views  will  be  found  to  be  admirable,  and  the  reasoning  by  which  they  are  supported, 
most  masterly  and  convincing.  But  upon  subjects  of  general  politics,  of  abstract 
jDorality  and  political  economy,  his  notions  appear  to  be  more  unsatisfactory  and  in- 
complete. He  seems  to  have  wanted  leisure,  and  perhaps  inclination  also,  to  spread 
out  before  him  the  whole  vast  premises  of  these  extensive  sciences,  and  scarcely  to 
have  had  patience  to  hunt  for  his  conclusions  through  so  wide  and  intricate  a  region 
as  that  upon  which  they  invited  him  to  enter.  He  has  been  satisfied,  therefore,  on 
every  occasion  with  reasoning  from  a  very  limited  view  of  the  facts,  and  often  from 
a  particular  instance.  Hehasdoneallthatsagacityandsound  scnsecoulddo  withstfch 
materials,  but  it  cannot  excite  wonder  if  he  has  sometimes  overlooked  an  essential 
part  of  the  argument,  and  often  advanced  a  particular  truth  into  the  place  of  a  gen- 
eral principle.  He  seldom  reasoned  upon  these  subjects  at  all,  we  believe,  without 
having  some  practical  application  of  them  innnediately  in  view,  and  as  he  began  the 
investigation  rather  to  determine  a  particular  case  than  to  establish  a  general  maxim  so 
he  probably  desisted  as  soon  as  he  had  relieved  himself  of  the  present  difficulty.  There 
are  not  many  among  the  thoroughbred  scholars  and  philosophers  of  Europe  who  can 
lay  claim  to  distinction  in  more  than  one  or  two  departments  of  science  or  literature. 
The  uneducated  tradesman  of  America  has  left  writings  that  call  for  our  attention 
in  natural  philosophy,  in  i)olitic8,  in  political  economy,  and  in  general  literature  and 
morality.  / 

As  a  writer  on  morality  and  general  literature,  the  merits  of  Dr.  Franklin  can  not 
be  estimated  properly  without  taking  into  consideration  the  peculiarities  that  have 
been  already  alluded  to  in  his  early  history  and  situation.  He  uever  had  the  benefit 
of  any  academical  instruction,  nor  of  the  society  of  men  of  letters.  His  style  w.'is 
formed  entirely  by  his  own  judgment  and  occasional  reading,  and  most  of  his  moral 
pieces  were  written  while  he  was  a  tradesman,  addressing  himself  to  the  tradesmen 
of  his  native  city.  We  cannot  expect,  therefore,  that  he  should  write  with  extraor- 
dinary elo(|aenre  or  grace,  or  that  he  should  treat  of  the  accomplishments,  follies, 
and  oecupations  of  polite  life.  He  luwl  no  great  occasion,  as  a  moralist,  to  expose 
the  guilt  and  fcdly  of  giuning  or  seduction,  or  to  p»»int  a  poignant  and  playful  ridi- 
cule against  the  higher  imnutralities  of  fashionable  life.  To  the  mechanlcsand  trad- 
ers of  Fl«»ston  and  Phila^lclphia  such  warnings  were  altogether  unnecessary,  and  he 
endeavored,  therefore,  with  more  api»ropriat«i  eloquence,  to  impress  upon  them  the 
importance  of  industrj-,  sobriety,  and  economy,  and  to  direct  their  wise  and  humble 
ambition  to  the  attainment  of  useful  knowledge  and  honorable  independence.  That 
morality,  after  all,  is  certainly  the  most  valual>le,  which  is  adapted  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  greater  part  «»f  mankind,  and  that  elo(]uence  is  the  most  meritorious 
that  is  calculated  to  <onvince  and  persuade  the  multitude  to  virtue.  Nothing  can 
be  more  perfectly  and  beautifully  adapted  to  its  object  than  most  of  Dr.  Franklin's 
compositions  of  this  sort.  The  tone  of  familiarity,  of  good  will,  and  homely  jocu- 
larity, the  plain  and  pointed  illustrations,  the  short  sentences,  made  up  of  short 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS   RELATING   TO   THE   UNIVERSITY.      127 

■words,  and  the  strong  sense,  clear  information,  and  obvions  conviction  of  the  author 
himself,  make  most  of  his  moral  exhortations  perfect  models  of  pppnlar  eloquence, 
and  afford  the  finest  specimens  of  a  style  which  has  been  but  too  little  cultivated  in 
a  country  which  numbers  perhaps  more  than  100,000  readers  among  ita  tradesmen 
and  artificers. 

In  writings  which  possess  such  solid  and  unusual  merit,  it  is  of  no  great  conse- 
quence that  the  fastidious  eye  of  a  critic  can  discover  many  blemishes.  There  is  a 
good  deal  of  vulgarity  in  the  practical  writings  of  Dr.  Franklin;  and  more  vulgar- 
ity than  was  in  any  way  necessary  for  the  object  he  had  in  view.  There  is  something 
childish,  too,  in  some  of  his  attempts  at  pleasantry ;  his  story  of  the  whistle,  and 
his  Parisian  letter,  announcing  the  discovery  that  the  sun  gives  light  as  soon  as  he 
rises,  are  instiauces  of  this.  The  Soliloquy  of  an  Ephemeris,  however,  is  much  bet- 
ter; and  both  it,  and  the  Dialogue  with  the  Gout,  are  executed  with  the  lightness 
and  spirit  of  genuine  F'rench  compositions.  The  Speech  in  the  Divan  of  Algiers, 
composed  as  a  parody  on  those  of  the  defenders  of  the  slave-trade,  and  the  scriptu- 
ral parable  against  persecution,  are  inimitable;  they  have  all  the  point  and  facility 
of  the  fine  pleasantries  of  Swift  and  Arbuthnot,  with  something  more  of  directness 
and  apparent  sincerity.  The  style  of  his  letters,  in  general,  is  excellent.  They  are 
chiefly  remarkable  for  great  simplicity  of  language,  admirable  good  sense  and  inge- 
nuity, and  an  amiable  and  inoffensive  cheerfulness,  that  is  never  overclouded  or 
eclipsed. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  look  upon  the  life  and  writings  of  Dr.  Franklin  as  affording 
a  striking  illustration  of  the  incalculable  value  of  a  sound  and  well-directed  under- 
standing, and  of  the  comparative  uselessness  of  learning  and  laborious  accomplish- 
ments. Without  the  slightest  pretensions  to  the  character  of  a  scholar  or  a  man  of 
science,  he  has  extended  the  bounds  of  human  knowledge  on  a  variety  of  subjects, 
which  scholars  and  men  of  science  had  previously  investigated  without  success; 
and  has  only  been  found  deficient  in  those  studies  which  the  learned  have  generally 
turned  from  in  disdain.  We  would  not  be  understood  to  say  anything  in  disparage- 
ment of  scholarship  and  science ;  but  'the  value  of  these  instruments  is  apt  to  be 
overrated  by  their  possessors,  and  it  is  a  wholesale  mortification  to  show  them  that 
the  work  may  be  done  without  them.  We  have  long  known  that  their  employment 
does  not  insure  success. 

In  1812,  Sir  James  Mackintosh  said : 

The  cause  of  the  Americans  in  France  owed  part  of  its  success  to  the  peculiar 
character,  as  well  as  extraordinary  talents,  of  their  agent  at  Paris,  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin. Bred  a  printer,  at  Boston,  he  had  raised  himself  to  a  respectable  station  by  the 
most  ingenious  industry  and  frugality ;  and  having  acquired  celebrity  by  his  phi- 
losophical discourses,  he  had  occupied  a  considerable  office  in  the  colonies  at  the 
commencement  of  the  disturbance.  This  singular  man  long  labored  to  avert  a  rup- 
ture, and,  notwithstanding  his  cold*  and  cautions  character,  he  shed  tears  at  the 
prospect  of  separation ;  but  he  was  too  wise  to  deliberate  after  decision.  Having 
once  made  his  determination,  he  adhered  to  it  with  a  firnmess  which  neither  the 
advances  of  England  nor  the  adversity  of  America  could  shake.  He  considered  a 
return  to  the  ancient  friendship  as  impossible,  and  every  conciliatory  proposal  as 
a  snare  to  divide  America  and  to  betray  her  into  absolute  submission.  At  Paris  he 
was  preceded  and  aided  by  his  philosophical  fame.  His  steady  and  downright  char- 
acter was  a  singularity  which  the  accomplished  diplomatists  of  France  had  not 
learned  how  to  conqiier.  The  simplicity  of  a  Republican,  a  Presbjterian,  and  a 
printer,  transported  at  the  age  of  70  to  the  most  polished  court  of  Europe,  by  amus- 
ing the  frivolous  and  interesting  the  romantic,  excited  a  disposition  at  Versailles 
favorable  to  his  cause. 

Early  accustomed  to  contemplate  infant  societies  and  uncultivated  natnre,  his  mind 
was  original  and  independenst.    He  derived  neither  aid  nor  incajtnbrance  from  leam- 


128  THE   UNIVKKSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

ing,  which  enslaves  every  mind  not  i)owerful  to  master  and  govern  it.  H3  was, 
therefore,  exempt  from  those  prejudices  of  nation  and  age  which  every  learned 
education  fosters.  Reared  in  the  colonies  struggling  into  existence,  where  necessity 
so  often  calls  out  ingenious  contrivance,  he  adapted  even  philosophical  experiment 
to  the  direct  convenience  of  mankind.  The  same  spirit  is  still  more  conspicuous  in 
his  moral  and  political  writings.  An  independence  of  thought,  a  constant  and 
direct  reference  to  utility,  a  consequent  abstinence  from  Avhatever  is  merely  curious 
and  ornamental  or  even  remotely  useful,  a  talent  for  ingeniously  betraying  vice  and 
prejudice  into  an  admission  of  reason,  and  for  exhibiting  their  sophisms  in  that 
state  of  undisguised  absurdity  in  which  they  are  ludicrous,  with  a  singular  power 
of  striking  illustrations  from  homely  objects,  would  justify  us  in  calling  Franklin 
the  American  Socrates. 

Johu  Foster,  in  1818,  said : 

The  character  displayed  by  Franklin's  correspondence  is  an  unusual  combina- 
tion of  elements.  The  main  substance  of  the  intellectual  part  of  it  is  a  superla- 
tive good  sense,  evinced  and  acting  in  all  the  modes  of  that  high  endowment, 
nuch  as  an  intuitively  prompt  and  perfect  and  steadily  continuing  apprehension; 
a  sagacity  which,  with  admirable  ease,  strikes  through  all  superficial  and  delu- 
sive appearance  of  things  to  the  essence  and  true  relations ;  a  faculty  of  reasoning 
in  a  manner  marvelously  simple,  direct,  and  decisive ;  a  power  of  reducing  a  sub- 
ject or  question  to  its  plainest  principles;  an  unaflfected  daring  to  meet  what- 
ever is  to  be  opposed  in  an  explicit,  direct  manner,  and  in  the  point  of  its  main 
strength ;  a  facility  of  applying  familiar  truth  and  self-evident  propositions  for  re- 
solving the  most  uncommon  difficulties,  and  a  happy  adroitness  of  illustration  by 
parallel  cases,  supposed  or  real,  the  real  ones  being  copiously  supplied  by  a  large 
and  moat  observant  acquaintance  with  the  world.  *  *  *  His  feelings  do  not 
seem  to  have  been  elevated  above  the  pitch  of  calm  satisfaction  at  having  materially 
contributed  to  the  success  of  a  righteous  cause,  a  success  in  which  he  was  convinced 
he  saw  not  simply  the  vindication  of  American  rights,  but  the  prospect  of  unlimited 
benefit  of  mankind.  And  here  it  may  be  remarked  that  his  predominant  passion 
appears  to  have  been  a  love  of  the  useful.  The  useful  was  to  him  the  suvimum 
bonum,  the  supreme  fair,  the  sublime  and  the  beautiful,  which  it  may  not  perhaps 
be  extravagant  to  believe  he  was  in  quest  of  every  week  for  half  a  century,  in  what- 
ever place,  or  study,  or  practical  undertaking.  No  department  was  too  plain  or 
bumble  for  him  to  occupy  himself  in  for  this  purpose ;  and  in  affairs  of  the  most 
ambitions  order  this  was  still  systematically  his  object.  Whether  in  directing  the 
ronstracting  of  chimneys  or  of  constitutions,  lecturing  on  the  saving  of  candles  or 
on  the  economy  of  national  revenues,  he  was  still  intent  on  the  same  end.  the  ques- 
tion always  being  how  to  obtain  the  most  solid  tangible  advantage  by  the  plainest 
and  easiest  means.  There  has  rarely  been  a  mortal  of  high  intelligence  and  flatter- 
ing fame  on  whom  the  pomps  of  life  were  so  powerless.  On  him  were  complet«ly 
thrown  away  the  oratorical  and  poetical  heroics  about  glory,  of  which  heroics  it 
was  enough  that  he  easily  perceived  the  intention  or  effect  to  be  to  explode  all  sober 
truth  and  substantial  good,  and  to  impel  men,  at  the  very  best  of  the  matter, 
through  Home  carex-r  of  vanity,  but  commonly  through  mischief,  slaughter,  and  de- 
vastation, in  mad  pursuit  in  what  amounts  at  least,  if  attained,  to  some  certain 
quantity  of  noise  and  empty  show,  and  intoxicated  transient  elation.  He  was  so 
far  an  admirable  spirit  for  acting  the  mentor  to  a  young  republic. 
Lord  Brougham  said,  in  1839: 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  men,  certainly,  of  our  times,  as  a  politician,  or  of  any 
age,  aa  a  philosopher,  was  Franklin,  who  also  stands  alone  in  combining  together 
these  two  characters,  the  greatest  that  man  can  sustain,  and  in  this,  that  having 
borne  the  first  part  in  enlarging  science  by  one  of  the  greatest  discoveries  ever  made, 
he  bore  the  second  part  in  founding  one  of  the  greatest  empires  in  the  world. 


IMPORTANT    DOCUMENTS   RELATING    TO   THE    UNIVERSITY.       129 

In  this  truly  great  iiiau  every  thing  seems  to  concur  that  goes  towards  th»'  conHti- 
tution  of  exalted  merit.  First,  he  was  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune.  Bom  in 
the  humblest  station,  he  raised  himself  l)y  his  talents  and  his  industry,  first  to  the 
place  in  society  which  may  be  attained  with  the  help  only  of  ordinary  abilities, 
great  application,  and  good  luck;  but  next  to  the  loftier  heights  which  a  daring 
aud  happy  genius  alone  can  scale;  and  the  poor  i)rinter's  boy,  who,  at  one  pcrio«l  of 
his  life,  had  no  covering  to  shelter  his  head  from  the  dews  of  night,  rent  in  twain  the 
proud  dominion  of  England,  and  lived  to  be  the  embassador  of  a  Commonwealth 
which  ho  had  formed  at  the  court  of  the  haughty  monarcbs  of  Trance,  who  had  been 
his  allies. 

Then  he  had  been  tried  by  prosperity  as  well  as  adverse  fortune,  and  had  pawed 
unhurt  thj-ough  the  perils  of  both.  No  ordinary  apprentice,  no  common-place  jour- 
neyman, ever  laid  the  foundations  of  his  independence  in  habits  of  industry  and 
temperance  more  deep  than  he  did,  whose  genius  was  afterward  to  rank  him  with 
the  Galileos  aud  Newtons  of  the  Old  World.  No  patrician,  born  to  shine  in  courte, 
or  assist  at  the  councils  of  luouarchs,  ever  bore  his  honors  in  a  lofty  station  more 
easily,  or  was  less  spoiled  by  the  enjoyment  of  them,  than  this  common  workman 
did  when  negotiating  with  royal  representatives,  or  caressed  by  all  the  beauty  and 
fashion  of  the  most  brilliant  court  in  Europe. 

Again,  he  was  self-taught  in  all  he  knew.  His  hours  of  study  were  stolen  from 
those  of  sleep  and  of  meals,  or  gained  by  some  ingenious  contrivance  for  re.iding 
while  the  work  of  daily  calling  went  on.  Assisted  by  none  of  the  helps  which 
affluence  tenders  to  the  studies  of  the  rich,  he  had  to  supply  the  place  of  tutors  by 
redoubled  diligence,  and  of  commentaries  by  repeated  perusal.  Nay,  the  possession 
cf  books  was  to  bo  obtained  by  copying  what  the  art,  which  he  himself  exercised, 
furnished  easily  to  others. 

Next,  the  circumstances  under  which  others  succumb  he  made  to  yield,  and  bend 
to  his  own  purposes,  a  successful  leader  of  a  revolt  that  ended  in  complete  triumph, 
after  appearing  desperate  for  years;  a  great  discoverer  in  philosophy,  without  the 
ordinary  helps  to  knowledge;  a  writer,  famed  for  his  chaste  style,  without  a  chissi- 
cal  education;  a  skillful  negotiator,  though  never  bred  to  jjolitics;  ending  as  »  fa- 
vorite, nay  a  pattern,  of  fashion,  when  the  gmst  of  frivolous  courts,  the  life  which 
he  had  begun  in  garrets  and  in  workshops. 

Lastly,  combinations  of  faculties,  in  others  deemed  impossible,  appeared  easy  and 
natural  to  him.  The  philosopher,  delighted  in  speculation,  was  also  eminently  a 
man  of  action.  Ingenious  reasoning,  refined  and  subtle  consultation,  were  in  him 
combined  with  prompt  resolution  and  iuflexiblo  lirmness  of  purpo.se.  To  a  lively 
fancy  ho  joined  a  learned  and  deej)  reflection;  his  original  and  iuN-entive  genius 
stooped  to  the  convenient  alliance  of  the  most  ordinary  prudence  in  every-day  afl'airs ; 
the  mind  that  soared  above  the  clouds  and  was  conversant  with  the  loftiest  of  hu- 
man contemplations  disdained  not  to  make  proverbs  and  feign  i)arables  for  the 
guidance  of  apprenticed  youths  .and  servile  maidens;  and  the  hands  that  sketched  a 
free  constitution  for  a  whole  continent  or  drew  down  the  lightning  from  heaven 
easily  and  cheerfully  lent  themselves  to  simplify  the  apparatus  by  which  truths 
were  to  be  illustrated  or  discoveries  pursued. 

His  whole  course,  both  in  acting  and  in  speculation,  was  simple  au»l  plain,  ever 
preferring  the  easiest  and  the  shortest  road,  nor  ever  having  recourse-to  any  but  the 
simplest  means  to  compass  his  ends.  His  policy  rejecte<l  all  refinements,  and  aimed 
at  accomplishing  its  ])urposc8  by  the  most  rational  and  obvious  expedients.  His 
language  was  unadorned,  and  used  as  a  medium  of  eonununioating  histhonghts,  not 
of  raising  a<lmiration,  but  it  was  pure,  expr<ssiv«',  racy.  His  manner  of  reasoning 
was  manly  an<l  cogent,  the  address  of  a  rational  being  to  others  of  the  same  order, 
and  so  concise  that,  preferring  decision  to  discussion,  he  never  exceeded  a  quarter  of 
an-hour  in  any  public  address.  His  correspondence  upon  l)usiness,  whether  private 
or  on  state  affairs,  is  a  model  of  clearness  and  compendious  shortness,  nor  can  any 

1180 9 


130  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

state  p.iiwra  .snrpass  in  dignity  and  impression  those  of  which  he  is  believed  to  have 
been  the  author  in  the  oarlier  part  of  the  American  Revolutionary  war.  His  mode  of 
philosophizing  was  the  i)nre8t  application  of  the  inductive  principle,  so  eminently 
adapted  to  his  nature  and  so  clearly  dictated  by  common  sense  that  we  can  have 
little  doubt  it  would  have  been  suggested  by  Franklin,  if  it  had  not  been  unfolded 
by  Bacon,  though  it  is  as  clear  that,  in  this  case,  it  would  have  been  expounded  in 
far  more  simple  terms.  But  of  all  this  man's  scientific  excellencies,  the  most  remark- 
able is  the  smallness,  the  simplicity,  the  apparent  inadequacy  of  the  means  which 
he  employed  in  his  experimental  researches.  His  discoveries  were  made  with  hardly 
any  apparatus  at  all,  and  if,  at  any  time,  he  had  been  led  to  employ  instruments  of 
a  somewhat  less  ordinary  description,  he  never  rested  satisfied  until  he  had,  as  it 
were,  afterward  translated  the  process,  by  revolving  the  problem  with  such  simple 
machinery  that  you  might  s'ay  he  had  done  it  wholly  unaided  by  apparatus.  The 
experiments  by  which  the  identity  of  lightning  and  electricity  was  demonstrated 
were  made  with  a  sheet  of  brown  paper,  a  bit  of  twine,  a  silk  thread,  and  an  iron 
key. 

Upon  the  integrity  of  this  great  man,  whether  in  public  or  in  private  life,  there 
rests  no  stain.  Strictlj'  honest,  and  even  scrupulously  punctual  in  all  his  dealings, 
h©  preserved  in  the  highest  fortune  that  regularity  which  he  had  practiced  as  well 
as  inculcated  in  the  lowest.  The  phrase  which  he  once  used  when  interrupted  in 
his  proceedings  upon  the  most  arduous  and  important  aflfairs,  by  a  demand  of  some 
petty  item  in  a  long  account — "Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  the  ox  that  treads  out  the 
com" — has  beencit«d  against  him  as  proving  the  laxity  of  his  dealings  when  intrust 
of  public  money;  it  plainly  proves  the  reverse,  for  he  well  knew,  in  a  country 
abounding  in  discussion,  and  full  of  bitter  personal  animosities,  nothing  could  be 
gained  of  immunity  by  refusing  to  produce  his  vouchers  at  the  fitting  time;  and 
his  venturing  to  use  such  language  demonstrates  that  he  knew  bis  conduct  to  be 
really  above  all  suspicion. 

In  domestic  life  he  was  faultless  and  in  the  intercourse  of  society  delightfnl. 
There  was  a  constant  good  humor  and  a  playful  wit,  easy  and  of  high  relish^  with- 
out any  ambition  to  shine,  the  natural  fruit  of  his  lively  fancy,  his  solid,  natural 
goo<l  sense,  and  his  cheerful  temper,  that  gave  his  conversation  an  unspeakable 
charm,  and  alike  suited  every  circle,  from  the  humblest  to  the  most  elevated.  With 
all  his  strong  opinions,  so  often  solemnly  declared,  so  imperishably  recorded  in  his 
deeds,  he  retained  a  tolerance  for  those  who  diifered  with  him  which  could  not  be 
surpassed  in  men  whose  principles  hang  so  loosely  about  them  as  to  be  takeu  up  for 
a  convenient  cloak  and  laid  down  when  found  to  impede  their  progress.  In  his 
family  be  was  everything  that  worth,  warm  aflfections,  and  sound  prudence  could 
contribute  to  make  a  man  both  useful  and  amiable,  respected  and  beloved.  In  re- 
ligion he  would  by  many  be  reckoned  a  latitudinarian;  yet  it  is  certain  that  his 
mind  was  imbue<l  with  a  deep  sense  of  the  Divine  perfections,  a  constant  impression 
of  onr  accountable  nature,  and  a  lively  hope  of  future  enjoyment.  Accordingly,  his 
death  bed,  the  test  of  both  faith  and  works,  was  easy  and  placid,  resigned  and  de- 
vout, and  indicated  at  once  an  unflinching  retrospect  of  the  past  and  a  comfortable 
assurance  of  the  future. 

If  we  turn  from  the  truly  great  man  whom  we  have  been  contemplating  to  his 
celebrated  contemporary  in  the  old  world,  Frederick  II,  who  only  affected  the  phil- 
osophy that  Franklin  possessed,  and  employed  his  talents  for  civil  and  military 
sflTairs  in  extinguishing  that  independence  which  Franklin's  life  was  consecrated  to 
establish,  the  contrast  is  marvelous  indeed  between  the  monarch  and  the  printer. 

In  1856  Robert  C.  Wintlirop  .said : 

4'ertainly,  if  any  man  of  his  age,  or  of  almost  any  other  age,  ever  earned  the  rep- 
ntatiou  of  a  doerof  goo<l,  and  of  having  lived  usefully,  it  was-Benjamin  Franklin. 
No  life  was  ever  more  eminently  and  practically  a  useful  life  than  his.  Capable  of 
the  greatest  things,  he  condescended  to  the  humblest.     He  never  sat  down  to  make 


IMPORTANT   DOCUMENTS    RELATING   TO    THE   UNIVERSITY.      131 

himself  famous.  He  never  seclnded  himself  from  the  common  walks  and  dnties  of 
society  in  order  to  accomplish  a  great  reputation,  nincli  less  to  accumulate  a  great 
fortune.  He  wrote  no  elaborate  histories,  or  learned  treatises,  or  stately  tomefi. 
Short  essays  or  tracts,  thrown  off  at  a  heat  to  answer  an  immediate  end,  letters  to  his 
associates  in  science  or  politics,  letters  to  his  family  and  friends;  these  uiake  up  the 
great  bulk  of  his  literaiy  productions;  and,  under  the  admirable  editorship  of  Mr. 
Sparks,  nine  noble  volumes  do  they  fill,  abounding  in  evidences  of  a  wisdom, 
sagacity,  ingenuity,  diligence,  freshness  of  thought,  fnlluess  of  information,  com- 
prehensiveness of  reach,  and  devotedness  of  i)urpose,  such  as  are  rarely  to  be  found 
associated  in  any  single  man.  Wherever  he  found  anything  to  be  done,  he  did  it; 
anything  to  be  investigated,  he  investigated  it;  anything  to  be  invented  or  dis- 
covered, ho  forwith  tried  to  invent  or  discover  it,  and  almost  always  succeeded.  He 
did  everything  as  if  his  whole  attention  in  life  had  "been  given  to  that  one  thing. 
And  thus,  while  he  did  enough  in  literature  to  be  classed  among  the  great  writers  of 
his  day,  enough  in  invention  and  science  to  secure  him  the  reputation  of  »  great 
philosopher,  enough  in  domestic  politics  to  w;n  the  title  of  a  great  statesman, 
enough  in  foreign  negotiations  to  merit  the  designation  of  a  great  diplomatist,  he 
found  time  enough,  also,  in  works  of  general  utility,  humanity,  and  benevolence,  to 
insure  him  a  perpetual  memory  as  a  great  philanthropist. 

No  form  of  personal  suffering  or  social  evil  escaped  his  attention,  or  appealed  in 
vain  for  such  relief  or  remedy  aa  his  prudence  could  suggest  or  Ills  purse  supply. 
From  that  day  of  his  early  youth,  when,  a  wanderer  from  his  home  and  friends  in  a 
strange  place,  he  was  seen  sharing  his  rolls  with  a  poor  woman  and  child,  to  the  last 
act  of  his  public  life,  when  he  signed  that  well-known  memorial  to  Congress,  as 
president  of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  a  spirit  of  earnest  and  prac- 
tical benevolence  runs  like  a  golden  thread  along  his  whole  career.  Would  to 
Heaven  that  he  could  have  looked  earlier  at  that  great  evil  at  which  he  looked  at 
last,  and  that  the  practical  resources  and  marvelous  sagacity  of  his  mighty  intellect 
could  have  been  brought  seasonably  to  bear  upon  the  solution  of  a  problem  now 
Mmost  too  intricate  for  any  human  faculties!  WquM  to  Heaven  that  he  could  have 
taken  his  invention  for  a  mode  of  drawing  the  fire  safely  from  that  portentous 
cloud,  in  his  day,  indeed,  hardly  bigger  than  a  man's  hand,  but  which  is  now 
blackening  the  whole  sky,  and  threatening  to  rend  asunder  that  noble  fabric  of 
union,  of  which  he  himself  proposed  the  earliest  model! 

But  no  estimate  of  Franklin  is  probably  more  correct  and  at  the 
same  time  expressive  of  the  oi)inion  which  the  people  of  the  United 
States  hold  of  Franklin  than  that  pronounced  by  Hora<'e  Greeley  in 
1862.  Horace  Greeley  was  another  Franklin,  a  man  self-made,  a  utili- 
tarian, and  a  public  character.  He  differed  from  Franklin  in  degree 
rather  than  in  kind.  Perhaps  if  Franklin  could  have  returned  to  earth 
in  1862  he  would  have  found  no  more  congenial  companion  than  Hor- 
ace Greeley. 

Of  the  men  whom  the  world  currently  terms  self-made— that  is,  who  severally 
fought  their  life-battles  without  the  aid  of  inherited  wealth,  or  family  honors,  or 
educational  advantages,  perhaps  our  American  Franklin  stands  highest  in  the  civil- 
ized world's  regard.  The  salient  feature  of  his  career  is  its  uniformity.  In  an  age 
of  wars,  he  never  led  an  army,  nor  set  a  squadron  in  the  field.  He  never  performed 
any  dazzling  achievement.  Though  an  admired  writer  and  one  of  the  greatest  scien- 
tific discoverers,  he  was  not  a  genius.  His  progress  from  the  mean  tallow  chandler's 
shop  of  his  Boston  father,  crammed  full  of  hungry  brothers  and  sisters,  to  the  gilded 
salons  of  Versailles,  where  he  stood  the  "observed  of  all  observers  "—in  fact,  more 
*  a  king  than  the  gentle  Louis,  was  marked  by  no  abrupt  transition,  no  break,  no 


132  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

bonnd ;  he  seems  not  so  iinich  to  have  risen  as  to  have  grown.  You  can  not  say 
when  he  cea**e<l  to  lio  poor,  or  unknown,  or  powerless;  he  steps  into  each  new  and 
higher  rosition  as  if  he  l>ad  heen  born  for  just  that;  you  know  that  his  newspaper, 
his  alnianao,  his  electrical  researches,  his  parliamentary  service,  his  diplomacy,  were 
the  best  of  their  time,  but  who  can  say  that  he  was  more  admirable  in  one  field  of 
useful  effort  thananotherf  An  ambas8a<lor,  it  has  been  smartly  said,  is  one  "sent 
abroad  to  lie  for  his  country,"  yet  you  feel  that  this  man  could  eminently  servo  his 
country  in  perfect  truth;  that  his  frank  sincerity  and  heartfelt  appreciation  of  the 
be«t  points  in  the  French  character,  in  Parisian  life,  served  her  better  than  the  most 
artful  dissimulation,  the  most  plausible  hypocrisy.  The  French  alliance  was  worth 
more  to  us  than  Saratoga,  for  it  gave  ns  Yorktown,  and  it  was  not  Gates's  victory, 
as  is  commonly  asserted,  but  Franklin's  power  and  popularity,  alike  in  the  salons 
and  at  court,  that  gained  us  the  French  alliance. 

We  can  not  help  asking,  were  poverty  and  obstacle  among  the  causes,  or  only  the 
iacidentof  this  man's  greatness?  Had  he  been  cradled  in  affluence  and  dandled  in  the 
lap  of  luxury;  had  he  been  crammed  by  tutors  and  learnedly  bored  by  jirofcssors ; 
had  Harvard  or  Yale  conferred  degrees  upon  him  at  twenty,  as  they  both  rather 
superfluously  did  when  he  was  nearly  fifty ;  had  his  youth  been  devoted  to  Latin 
conjugations  and  Greek  hexameters  rather  than  to  candle-dipping  and  typesetting, 
would  he  have  been  the  usefully  great  man  he  indisputably  was?  Admit  that  these 
queries  can  never  be  conclusively  answered,  they  may  yet  be  profitably  pondered. 
*  »  »  »  *  »  .       ♦ 

I  think  I  adequately  appreciate  the  greatness  of  Washington,  yet  I  must  place 
Franklin  above  him  as  the  consummate  type  and  flowering  of  human  nature  under 
the  skies  of  colonial  America.  Not  that  Washington  was  born  to  competence  and 
all  needful  facilities  lor  instruction,  so  that  he  began  responsible  life  on  vantage 
ground  that  Franklin  toiled  twenty  arduous,  precious  years  to  reach;  I  can  not  feel 
that  this  fact  has  undue  weight  with  me.  I  realize  that  there  are  elements  of  dignity, 
of  grandeur,  in  the  character  of  Washington  for  which  that  of  Franklin  afibrds  no 
parallel.  But  when  I  contemplate  the  immense  variety  and  versatility  of  Frankliu's 
services  to  his  country  and  to  mankind ;  when  I  think  of  him  as  a  writer  whose  first 
effusions  commanded  attention  in  his  early  boyhood;  as  the  monitor  and  teacher  of 
Lis  fellow  journeymen  in  a  London  printing  office ;  as  almost  from  the  outset  a  pros- 
perous and  influential  editor  when  journ.alism  had  never  before  been  a  source  of 
power;  as  taking  his  place  naturally  at  the  head  of  the  postal  service  in  America, 
anil  of  the  earliest  attempts  to  form  a  jiractical  confederation  of  the  colonies;  when 
I  see  him,  never  an  enthusiast,  and  now  nearly  three-score-and-ten,  renouncing 
office,  hazarding  fame,  fortune,  everything,  to  struggle  for  the  independence  of  his 
country,  he  having  most  to  lose  by  failure  of  any  American,  his  only  son  a  bitter 
loyalist,  he  cheerfully  and  repeatedly  braving  the  dangers  of  an  ocean  swarming 
with  enemies,  to  render  his  country  the  service  as  ambassador  which  no  other  man 
could  perform,  and  finally,  when  more  than  eighty  years  old,  crowning  a  life  of  duty 
and  honor  by  helping  to  frame  that  immortal  Constitution  which  made  us  one  nation 
forever,  I  can  not  place  Franklin  second  to  any  other  American.  He  could  not  have 
done  the  work  of  Washington— no  other  man  could;  but  then  he  did  so  many  admira- 
ble things  which  Washington  had  too  sound  a  judgment  even  to  attempt.  And,  great 
as  WaMhiugton  was,  he  was  not  great  enough  to  write  and  print  after  he  had  achieved 
power  and  world-wide  fame,  a  frank,  ingenuous  confession  of  his  youthful  follies 
and  sins  for  the  instruction  and  admonition  of  others.  Many  a  man  can  look  calmly 
down  the  throat«  of  roaring  cannon  who  lacks  the  courage  and  true  philanthropy 
eoseotial  to  those  called  to  render  this  service  to  mankind. 


Chapter  II. 
FRANKLIN'S  IDEAS  IN  EDUCATION  AS  SEEN  IN  HIS  WRITINGS. 


At  22  years  of  age  Franklin  wrote  liis  "Articles  of  Belief  and  Acts 
of  Religion,"  in  which  he  laid  down  his  so-called  "first  principles;"  this 
was  his  first  serious  effort  toward  self  education  in  morality.  The  prin- 
ciples are  a  liturgy  and  a  book  of  prayer,  and  if  the  spirit  which  ani- 
iniated  them  be  accepted  as  the  motive  of  Franklin's  life,  it  indicates  the 
large  purpose  of  his  mind  to  "  attain  perfection  in  morals."  The  whole 
cllort  is  of  a  piece  with  his  notion  of  education;  that  man  by  self  appli- 
cation could  attain  through  the  results  of  jjersonal  experiment  perfec- 
tion in  almost  any  art. 

Two  years  later,  in  his  "Eules  for  a  Club  Estabhshed  for  Mutual  Im- 
provement," (the  celebrated  Junto  rules),  he  applied  his  principle  of 
self  education  by  cooperating  witli  kindred  spirits;  took  the  first  steps 
toward  the  characteristic  acts  of  his  life,  the  establishment  of  useful 
relations  with  his  fellowmen.  The  use  which  he  made  of  the  Junto,  of 
which  we  have  already  spoken,  indicates  the  large  value  which  he  set 
upon  such  an  enterprise.  It  would  be  untrue  to  say  that  Franklin  was 
the  founder  of  all  the  debating  clubs  in  America,  but  it  is  not  untrue 
that  he  was  the  founder  of  the  most  useful  debating  club  which  ever 
existed  in  this  country,  for  the  living  influence  of  the  Junto'  exists  to 
this  day,  and  its  usefulness  to  the  country  is  suggested  by  the  influence 
of  the  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia  at  the  present  time. 

Franklin  applied  the  famous  maxim  of  Horace  that  use  is  the  law  of 
speech,  and  extended  the  maxim  so  that  it  became  to  him  the  law  of 
education ;  he  learned  to  write  by  writing,  and  his  numerous  contribu- 

NoTE. — The  correspondence  anU  miscellaneous  writings  of  Franklin  at  the  hands  of 
successive  editors  have  accuniulated  to  ten  octavo  volumes,  and  additional  letters 
are  discovered  from  time  to  time.  Eacli  new  research  into  the  archives  of  the  gov- 
ernments of  France  and  England  brings  to  light  more  Franklin  letters.  From  the 
published  correspondence  and  writings  of  Franklin,  gathered  by  Sparks  and  Bigelow, 
I  will  venture  to  select  passages  in  the  writings  of  Franklin  which  record  from  time 
to  time  his  ideas  of  education  or  which  illustrate  the  application  of  those  ideas.  I 
am  aware  that  such  a  selection  is  made  at  the  risk  of  the  omission  of  passages,  which 
uj)Ou  a  larger  view  might  appear  to  be  pertinent,  but  the  selection  is  made  with  the 
hope  that  others  may  be  led  to  make  a  more  thorough  investigation  of  the  subject. — 
Editor. 

•  133 


134  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

tions  t«  the  newspapers  began  the  American  magazine;  his  paraphrases 
of  the  Spectator  in  his  brother's  newspaper  in  Boston,  under  the 
pseudonym  of  "Silence  J)ogood,"  are  followed  by  innumerable  papers, 
in  varying  form,  improving,  we  may  say,  until  they  attain  perfection, 
to  various  newspapers  throughout  his  life.  The  public  was  the  subject 
of  his  story  and  all  of  his  contributions  ^re  written  for  the  pleasure 
and  instruction  of  the  puWic.  The  Busybody,  a  series  of  papers  con- 
tributed to  the  Weekly  Mercury,  the  first  newspaper  published  in  Phila- 
deljihia,  are  indisputably  the  first  of  Franklin's  writings,  though  his 
own  reference  to  the  earlier  Silence  Dogood  papers  are  evidence  that 
they  were  his  own.    He  says  in  the  first  number  of  the  Busybody : 

I  have  lately  entertained  some  thought  of  setting  up  for  an  author  myself,  not  out 
of  the  l«;a8t  vanity,  I  sisaure  you,  or  desire  of  showing  my  parts,  but  purely  for  the 
goo<l  of  my  country. 

These  early  j)aper8,  "written  in  his  twenty-third  year,  show  many  of 
the  author's  characteristics,  both  in  subject  and  in  style,  and  have  proved 
the  truth  of  Franklin's  favorite  idea  in  English  composition,  that  by 
much  frequent  and  careful  writing  one  may  attain  unto  a  simple  and 
direct  style.  Franklin  maybe  said  to  be  the  first  American  newspaper 
man,  for  he  was  the  first  American  writer  to  use  simple  English  in  brief 
sentences  addressed  directly  to  the  public,  and  it  may  be  said  that  he 
was  the  founder  of  the  brief,  sententious,  American  style  in  writing. 
The  impcntance  which  Franklin  attached  to  composition  in  his  scheme 
for  an  English  education  was  the  result  of  his  own  experience. 

In  1729  he  published  "A  Modest  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Neces- 
sity of  a  Paper  Currency,"  and  this  little  pamphlet  marks  an  epoch  in 
the  history  of  political  economy.  With  characteristic  confession  he 
begins  his  inquiry  with  these  words: 

There  is  no  science  the  study  of  which  is  more  useful  and  commendable  than  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  Interest  of  one's  country. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  observe  more  particularly  the  frequency 
with  which  Franklin  uses  the  phrase  "the  true  interest  of  one's  coun- 
try" or  "the  general  welfare  of  one's  country."  In  this  "Modest  In- 
quiry" he  dls(;usse8  the  nature  of  a  paper  currency  under  several  gen- 
eral considerations,  such  as  the  scarcity  of  money  and  a  high  rate  of 
interest.  That  the  scarcity  of  money  in  a  country  discourages  immi- 
gration was  a  point  of  great  interest  to  Franklin,  who  is  ever  discuss- 
ing the  means  for  encouraging  an  increase  of  population,  as  his  theory 
of  the  general  welfare  was  based  upon  his  interpretation  of  the  inter 
ests  of  an  ever  increasing  and  prosperous  people;  so  he  laid  down  the 
general  d(M:trine  that  "a  plentiful  currency  will  encourage  great  num- 
bers of  laboring  and  handicraftsmen  to  come  and  settle  in  the  coun- 
try." He  thought  that  "want  of  money  in  such  a  country  as  ours  oc- 
casions a  greater  consumption  of  English  and  European  goods  in  pro- 
iwrtion  to  the  number  of  people  than  there  would  otherwise  be."*  This 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  135 

iiotiou  is  ill  keeping  with  one  of  Franklin's  favorite  ideas,  expressed  by 
liim  in  1771,  that — 

Every  uiauiifacturo  iu  our  country  makes  an  opportunity  for  a  market  for  pro- 
duetioua  within  tiurselves  and  supplies  so  much  money'  to  the  country  as  must  other- 
wise be  exported  to  pay  for  the  manufacture  of  supplies  here  in  England;  it  is  well 
known  and  understood  that  wherever  a  manufacture  is  established  that  employs  a 
number  of  hands  it  raises  the  value  of  land  in  the  neighboring  country  all  around. 
It  seems,  therefore,  the  interest  of  our  farmers  and  owners  of  land  to  encourage  our 
own  manufactures  in  preference  to  foreign  ones. 

In  other  words,  Franklin's  idea  of  a  nation  was  his  idea  of  the  in- 
dividual, that  the  niation,  like  the  individual,  should  be  self-support- 
ing. This  was  the  education  in  his  New  England  home,  and  is  char- 
acteristic of  the  New  England  idea  in  government. 

It  is  interesting  to  trace  in  Franklin's  writings  as  early  as  1729  this 
plain  intimation  of  the  means  for  the  true  prosperity  of  America,  that 
traders,  artificers,  laborers,  and  manufacturers  in  America  should  pro- 
duce the  goods  in  America  and  for  America.  It  is  in  this  paper  on 
currency  that  Franklin  lays  down  the  fundamental  notion  in  American 
economics  that  labor  is  the  measure  and  creator  of  wealth : 

For  many  ages  [he  says]  those  parts  of  the  world  which  are  engaged  in  com- 
merce have  fixed  upon  gold  and  silver  as  the  chief  and  most  proper  materials  for 
this  medium  (tliat  is,  money  properly  called  a  medium  of  exchange),  they  being  iu 
themseh'es  valuable  motala  for  their  fineness,  beauty,  and  scarcity.  By  these,  par- 
ticularly by  silver,  it  has  been  usual  to  value  all  things  else.  But  as  silver  itself  is 
of  no  certain  permanent  value,  being  worth  more  or  less  according  to  its  scarcity  or 
plenty,  therefore  it  seems  requisite  to  fix  upon  something  else  more  proper  to  be 
made  a  measure  of  value,  and  this  I  take  to  be  labor.'  By  labor  may  the  value  of 
silver  be  measured  as  well  as  other  things.  As,  suppose  one  man  employed  to  raise 
corn  while  another  is  digging  and  refining  silver.  At  the  year's  end,  or  at  any  other 
period  of  time,  the  complete  produce  of  corn  and  that  of  silver  are  the  natural  price 
of  each  other ;  and  if  one  be  20  bushels  and  the  other  20  ounces,  then  an  ounce  of 
that  silver  is  worth  the  labor  of  raising  a  bushel  of  that  corn.  *  *  *  Thus  the 
riches  of  a  country  are  to  be  valued  by  the  quantity  of  labor  its  inhabitants  are  able 
to  purchase,  and  not  by  the  quantity  of  silver  and  gold  they  possess,  which  will 
purchase  more  or  less  labor,  and  therefore  is  more  or  less  valuable,  as  is  said  before, 
according  to  its  scarcity  or  plenty. 

This  doctrine  of  labor  stated  in  1729  anticipated  the  Wealth  of  Na- 
ions  forty-six  years,  and  justly  may  lay  claim  to  priority  in  the  foun- 
dation of  the  industrial  basis  of  modern  political  economy.  He  applied 
his  doctrine  as  it  affected  the  currency,  by  affirming  that  "money  as 
bullion  or  as  land  is  valuable  by  so  much  labor  as  it  costs  to  procure 
that  bullion  or  land.  Money  as  a  currency  has  an  additional  value  by 
so  much  time  and  labor  as  it  saves  in  the  exchange  of  commodities." 
The  effect  of  this  paper  in  Pennsylvania  was  the  issue  of  a  paper  cur- 
rency. Franklin,  mindful  of  his  rule  for  humility  and  modesty,  con- 
cluded the  essay  by  saying : 

As  this  essay  is  wrote  and  published  in  haste  and  the  subject  in  itself  intricate,  I 
liope  I  shall  be  censured  with  candor  if,  for  want  of  time  carefully  to  revise  what  I 


'This  idea  is  elaborated  iu  "The  Wealth  of  Nations,"  Book  I.     See  also  J.  8. 
Mills's  "  Principles  of  Political  Econony,'  Book  I. 


136  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

bave  writtfii,  in  some  places  I  should  appear  to  have  expressed  myself  too  obscurely 
and  iu  others  aui  liable  to  objections  I  did  not  foresee.  I  sincerely  desire  to  bo  ac- 
quainted with  the  truth,  and  on  that  account  shall  think  myself  obliged  to  any  one 
who  ■will  take  the  pains  to  show  me  ot  the  public  where  I  am  mistaken  in  my  con- 
clusions. 

His  fondness  for  dialogues  had  led  liini  to  prpscribe  the  composition 
of  tlieni  in  his  scheme  for  an  English  school  and  is  illustrated  through- 
out his  writings  by  his  own  dialogues  on  a  great  variety  of  subjects. 

Franklin  was  fond  of  the  theatre;  action,  expression,  relieved  the  te- 
dium of  mere  writing,  and  it  would  not  be  a  matter  of  surprise  that,  had 
Franklin  possessed  the  leisure,  he  should  have  written  a  play.  The 
dialogue  as  a  style  in  composition  is  much  out  of  fashion  in  our  time, 
but  it  was  much  in  vogue  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  Franklin  was 
a  master  of  it.  Many  will  remember  the  dialogues  which  formed  selec- 
ti«ms  in  the  old  readers  in  our  schools;  the j^  will  remember  speaking 
day,  when  these  dialogues  were  mouthed  from  the  stage,  and  some 
wholesome  lesson  in  politics  or  morality  was  given  to  the  audience. 
Some  of  the  most  celebrated  dialogues  found  in  those  readers  were 
written  by  Franklin  himself,  as  the  celebrated  dialogue  between  Frank- 
lin and  the  gout. 

His  utilitarian  ideas  appeared  throughout  his  writings;  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania Gazette  of  October  30,  1735,  he  contributes  a  paper  on  the 
usefulness  of  mathematics.  His  own  course  in  Jirithmetic  and  geometry 
will  be  remembered,  and  it  will  also  be  remembered  that  Franklin 
never  made  extensive  studies  in  mathematics  or  extensive  use  of  them ; 
80  that  his  paper  on  the  usefulness  of  mathematics  was  based  upon 
their  commercial  value.    It  was  because — 

That  no  business,  commerce,  trade,  or  employment  whatsoever,  even  from  the  mer- 
chant to  the  shopkeeper,  etc.,  can  be  managed  and  carried  on  without  the  assistance 
of  numbers;  for  by  these  the  trader  computes  the  value  of  all  sorts  of  goods  that 
he  dealeth  in,  does  his  business  with  ease  and  certanity,  and  informs  himself  how 
matters  stand  at  any  time  with  respect  to  men,  money,  or  merchandise,  to  profit  and 
loss,  whether  he  goes  forward  or  backward,  grows  richer  or  poorer. 

We  should  not  forget  that  in  1735  there  were  no  common  schools  or 
common  facilities  for  the  education  of  the  poor,  and  that  the  occasion 
for  self  education  was  even  greater  than  at  present.  Illiteracy  was 
more  prevalent,  and  the  means  for  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  rudi- 
ments of  an  English  education  depended  almost  Avholly  upon  the  ac- 
tivity of  the  individual.  Now,  in  the  days  when  public  education  is  a 
part  of  modern  life,  Franklin's  appeal  for  self-education  loses  much  of 
its  original  force.  The  explanation  of  his  enormous  influence  in  America 
is  that  he  spoke  to  a  people  who  were  lacking  the  very  facilities  which 
he  showed  were  within  reach  of  any  enterprising  person.  Franklin 
was  an  American  educat*)r  before  there  were  American  schools. 

Throughout  his  paper  on  mathematics  he  makes  no  argument  for  the 
study  of  mathematics  as  a  science;  it  is  for  its  utility  in  mechanics,  in 
navigation,  in  surveying,  in  engineering,  and  in  the  computation  of 


franklin's    ideas    IX    EDUCATION.  137 

time  and  its  divisions;  its  utility  as  a  method  of  strengtnening  the 
mind,  of  securing  the  capacity  for  exact  reasoning,  of  discerning  truth 
from  falsehood,  and  he  concludes  his  argument  with  a  quotation  firoiu 
Plato,  characteristic  of  his  own  notions  of  life : 

Deak  Friend  :^  You  see,  then,  that  mathematics  are  necessary,  because  by  the  ex- 
actness of  the  method  we  get  a  habit  of  using  our  minds  to  the  best  advantage. 

At  thirty  years  of  age  he  writes  his  first  paper  on  government.  It  is 
of  interest  because  of  his  subsequent  influence  in  international  politics, 
and  particularly  in  the  formation  of  the  constitutions  of  Pennsylvania 
of  1770  and  1789,  and  in  the  making  of  the  national  constitution  in  1787. 
His  paper  on  government,  written  forty  years  before  the  first  constitu- 
tion of  an  American  commonwealth  was  written,  contains  the  germs  of 
all  American  constitutions.  Government  is ''created  by  and  for  the 
good  of  the  whole"  and  "should  be  made  liable  to  the  inspection  and 
animadversion  of  the  whole;"  "the  sovereignty  is  in  the  people;"  and  he 
concludes  with  the  maxim,  "Vox  Dei  est  populi  vox."  With  this  quali- 
fication that  "this  is  universally  true  while  they  remain  in  their  proper 
sphere,  unbiassed  by  faction,  undeluded  by  the  tricks  of  designing  men." 

We  shall  see  later  how  this  same  idea  occurs  to  him  in  his  final  speech 
to  the  Convention  of  1787.  It  is  in  this  paper  on  government  that  he 
anticipates  a  thought  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence  that  "the 
civil  privileges  of  the  American  people  are  not  a  gift  bestowed  upon  lis 
by  other  men,  but  a  right  that  belongs  to  us  by  the  laws  of  God  and 
nature."' 

He  based  his  idea  of  government  upon  his  interpretation  of  the  public 
good  and  asserts  the  foundation  of  government  to  be  on  the  common 
rights  of  mankind.  It  is  interesting  as  a  suggestion  of  his  subsequent 
course  in  politics. 

Perhaps  no  paper  by  Franklin  has  been  so  widely  read  as  his  Way  to 
Wealth; 2  the  great  number  of  editions  of  this  paper,  written  in  1736, 
indicates  its  widespread  influence.  One  paper,  addressed  to  the 
"Courteous  Eeader,"  assumes  to  be  taken  from*the  proverbs  of  an  old 
almanac  entitled  "Poor  Richard  Improved."  Probably  this  paper  re- 
flects Franklin's  mind  in  its  every  day  economy  more  perfectly  than  any 
other  he  ever  Avrote.  It  is  an  epitome  of  homely  experiences  told  in 
the  style  of  which  he  was  then  master,  and  addressed  to  the  public, 
whom  he  always  had  in  mind.  It  is  a  series  of  maxims  skilfully 
strung  together  illustrative  of  Franklin's  favorite  notion  that  indastry, 


'Compare  the  opening  paragraph  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence:  "When  in 
the  course  of  human  events  it  becomes  necessary  for  one  people  to  dissolve  the  politi- 
cal bands  which  have  connected  them  with  another,  and  to  assume  among  the  i>owers 
of  the  earth  the  separate  and  equal  station  to  which  the  laws  of  nature  and  of  na- 
ture's God  entitle  them,  a  decent  respect  to  the  opinions  of  mankin«l  requires  that 
they  should  declare  the  causes  which  impel  them  to  the  separation. 

'•"The  Sayings  of  Poor  Richard;"  The  Prefaces,  Proverbs,  and  Poems  of  Benjamin 
Franklin.  Collected  and  edited  by  Paul  Leicester  Ford,  form  oue  of  the  "  Knicker- 
bocker Nuggett"  series.  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons.  "  The  Way  to  Wealth"  is  printed 
in  McMaster's  "  Franklin." 


138  niK    (  .Nl\  hK>iJ'i'    OF    Pi:iNNSVt<VAiMA. 

economy,  and  virtue  were  the  means  for  attaininj;'  i)errectiou  in  tliis 
life.  Portions  of  the  i)aper  have  been  printt'd  in  the  reading  books  so 
irequently  tliat  it  hjis  become  one  of  the  best  known  of  American  writ- 
ings. It  is  perliaps  safe  to  say  that  in  this  single  article  Franklin  eon- 
tribnted  to  the  education  of  his  countrymen  in  econoniy.as  no  otiier 
American  has  ever  contribnte«l. 

Between  1736  and  1750  Franklin  contributed  volnminously  to  the 
newsi)aper,  ever  writing  upon  some  useful  project.  It  was  in  1749  that 
he  made  ai)plicatiou  of  his  utilitarian  doctrines  in  liis  conception  of  the 
identity  of  electricity  and  lightning,  and  began  that  train  of  thought 
which  en<led  three  years  later  in  his  famous  experiment  with  the 
kite.  His  conception  of  the  identity  of  electricity  and  lightning  led  to 
his  invention  of  the  lightning  rod.  Franklin  never  covered  his  dis- 
coveries by  i)atent,  believing  that,  as  he  had  received  much  from  man- 
kind, he  should  contribute  as  freely  as  possible  himself  to  the  welfare 
of  the  world.  It  is  during  the  next  twelve  years  that  Franklin  won 
his  fame  as  an  electrician,  obtaining  his  knowledge  by  simple  experi- 
mentation and  deducing  conclusions  of  Avide  comprehension.  He  was  a 
b(jrn  scientist;  his  own  experience  as  an  experimenter  led  him  to  em- 
phasize experiment  in  education,  although  in  his  Proposals  for  the 
Education  of  I'outh  in  Pennsylvania  he  does  not  emphasize  laboratory 
work  as  at  lirst  tlnjught  one  might  have  expected  from  him.  We  have 
already  referred  to  this. 

Franklin  nuidc  no  effort.,  to  defend  his  own  scientific  fame,  but  left 
his  fann*  to  the  considerate  Judgment  of  mankind.  Tliis  was  character- 
istic of  all  his  work.  He  judged  himself  as  he  judged  others — by  the 
usefulness  of  his  life  to  mankind.  He  strictly  applied  his  utilitarian 
doctrines  to  himself.  It  is  to  be  noticed  in  the  numerous  letters  to 
VvU-r  CoUinson  and  others  concerning  his  electrical  experiments  that 
his  ideas  foHowed  the  experiment  rather  than  anticipated  it.  He  kept 
close  to  phenomena  and  showed  no  haste  to  experiment  merely  for  the 
-ake  of  experiment.     AW  his  experiments  were  for  utilitarian  purposes. 

In  his  "Advice  to  a  Young  Tradesman,"  written  in  1748,  he  apjdies 
>ome  of  the  notions  already  expressed  in  his  "  Wajito  Wealth,"  and 
lie  signs  himself  "^\!i  Old  Tradesman."  His  frequent  papers  upon 
money-getting  have  misled  some  of  his  critics,  who  have  thought  that 
his  whole  scheme  was  the  penny-wise  pound-foolish  policy,  and  that  his 
<oIe  puip«»se  in  life  was  to  accunnilate  wealth.  It  seems  to  us,  on  the 
contrary,  that  Franklin  illustrates  in  his  own  life  the  opposite  policy, 
for  having  accumulated  a  fortune  before  he  was  fifty— a  very  unusnai 
thing  to  do  in  the  American  Cohmies— he  was  enabled  to  utilize  his 
time  for  the  benefitof  the  public.  It  would  seem  ratherthat  his  scheme 
of  life  was  to  win  wealth  in  or<l(!r  to  obtain  time  for  self-improvement. 
He  would  have  all  men  accunnilate  sufficient  wealth  to  enable  themta 
make  innumerable  experiment's  in  virtue  and  natural  philosophy,  by 
means  of  which  the  general  welfare  may  be  promoted. 


FRANKL1N*S    IDEAS    IN    EDUCATION.  iSi) 

This  is  illustrated  in  his  letter  to  George  Wbitefleld,  July  C,  1749,  in 
which  ho  says : 

1  am  glad  to  hear  tliat  you  have  frcqneut  opportniiities  of  prcacbiug  among  tlio 
great.  If  you  can  gain  them  to  a  good  and  exemplary  life  wonderful  c-baugeH  will 
follow  in  the  manner  of  the  lower  ranks,  for  ad  exanplum  regis,  etc.  On  this  prin- 
ciple Confucius,  the  famous  Eastern  reformer,  ))roceeded.  AVheu  he  saw  his  country 
sunk  in  vice,  and  wickedness  of  all  kinds  triumphant,  heapplied  himself  tiratto  the 
grandees,  and  having  by  his  doctrine  won  them  to  the  cause  of  virtue  the  conimunit 
foH,owed  in  multitude.'?.  The  mode  has  a  wonderful  influence  on  mankind,  and  there 
are  numbers  who  perhaps  fear  less  the  being  in  hell  than  out  of  the  fashion.  Our 
most  western  reformations  began  with  the  ignorant  mob,  and  when  numbers  of  them 
were  gained  interest  and  party  views  di*ew  in  the  wise  and  great.  "Where  both 
methods  can  be  used  the  reformations,  are  likely  to  be  more  speedy.  O,  that  some 
method  could  be  found  to  make  them  lasting!  lie  who  discovers  that  will,  in  my 
opinion,  deserve  more,  ten  thousand  times,  than  the  inventor  of  the  longitnde. 

Franklin  was  a  believer  in  the  forcp  of  example,  and  his  belief  was 
based  upon  his  own  experience  in  self-education.  Probably  no  Ameri- 
can has  illustrated  the  ad  exemplum  regis  like  Franklin.  His  life  has 
been  the  pattern  for  thousands,  and  in  innumerable  stories,  essays, 
sermons,  and  speeches  he  has  been  held  up  as  the  example  to  American 
youth.  In  his  own  scheme  for  the  education  of  children  he  emphasizes 
the  value  of  the  study  of  history  and  biographies  because  of  the  exam 
pies  which  would  be  set  before  the  minds  of  youth.  Posterity  has 
treated  Franklin  gently,  and  perhaps  no  better  illustration  of  Fi-anklin's 
influence  can  be  cited  than  Auerbach's  "Villa  on  the  Ehine,"  in  which 
German  story  Franklin  is  the  happy  exami)le  for  others  to  follow. 

In  a  letter  to  his  mother  in  his  forty-third  year  he  says  of  himself: 

For  my  own  part  at  present  I  pass  my  time  agreeably  enough.  I  enjoy  through 
mercy  a  tolerable  share  of  health,  I  read  a  great  deal,  write  a  little,  do  a  little  busi- 
ness for  myself  and  now  aud  then  for  others,  retire  when  I  can,  and  go  into  company 
when  I  please.  So  the  years  roll  on,  and  the  last  will  come,  when  I  would  rather 
have  it  said,  "He  lived  usefully,  "  than  "He  died  rich. " 

At  the  time  of  his  services  in  founding  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania he  had  occasion  to  write  to  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  first  president 
of  King's  College,  now  Columbia  College,  to  whom  the  provostsbip  of 
the  new  university  had  been  offered. 

In  his  letter  to  Dr.  Johnson,  Franklin  says: 

I  think  with  you,  that  nothing  is  of  more  importance  for  the  public  weal  than  to 
form  aud  train  up  youth  in  wisdom  and  virtue.  Wise  and  good  men  are,  in  my 
oi)inion,  the  strength  of  the  state,  much  more  so  than  riches  or  armies,  which,  under 
the  management  of  ignorance  and  wickedness  often  draw  on  destruction,  instead  of 
providing  for  the  safety  of  the  people.  And  though  the  culture  bestowed  on  nuuiy 
should  be  successful  only  with  a  few,  yet  the  inllueuce  of  those  few  and  the  service 
in  their  power  may  be  very  great.  Even  a  single  woman,  that  wa«  wLne,  by  her 
wisdom  saved  the  city. 

I  think,  also,  that  general  virtue  is  more  probably  to  be  expected  and  obtained 
from  the  education  of  youth  than  from  the  exhortation  of  adult  persons,  bad  habits 
and  vices  of  the  mind  being,  like  the  diseases  of  the  body,  more  easily  prevented 
than  cured. 

I  think,  moreover,  that  talents  for  the  education  of  youth  are  the  gift  of  God,  and 


140  Tin;    IMVKK.SITV    i)V    I'ENNSYLVANIA. 

that  lip  on  whom  th<y  are  bestowed,  w heiiever  a  way  is  open  lor  the  use  of  them,  is 
a«  stronjjly  called  as  if  ho  heanl  a  voice  from  lieaven,  nothing  more  surely  pointing 
out  duty  in  a  ]»ublifi  service  than  the  ability  and  opportunity  of  performing  it. 

Dr.  JoliiiKOi)  declinod  tlie  provostsliii)  and  Br.  William  Smith  was 
chosen. 

American  education  was  begun  by  the  churches,  and  the  higher  institutions  of  learn- 
ing nearly  all  originated  with  the  ecclesiastical  bodies,  and  most  of  them  are  still  under 
their  control.  The  University  of  Pennsylvania  was.  through  the  influence  of  Frank- 
lin, perhaps  the  first  to  arise  without  formal  connection  with  the  churches.  The  col- 
leges and  academies  of  the  New  England  States  and  of  districts  supplied  from  New 
England  were  chiefly  modeled  after  Harvard,  and  nearly  all  drew  their  teachers  from 
these  mother  institutions  and  their  daughters.  Those  of  the  Middle  and  many  of 
the  Western  States  may  commonly  be  traced  to  the  educational  eftbrts  of  the  Pres- 
byterian clergy  from  the  north  of  Ireland  and  from  Scotland,  Tlie  Puritan  and 
Preabyterian  congregations  have  been  the  chief  agencies  in  our  higher  educational 
system,  and  in  both  cases  the  interest  and  the  mode  was  ecclesiastical.  Keligion,  it 
would  appear,  was  the  only  force  at  work  in  American  society  which  at  that  time 
was  strong  enough  to  overcome  the  American  passion  for  money  making,  to  insist  on 
the  excellence  of  a  liberal  education,  and  thus  to  cherish  a  love  of  learning  and  of 
science  until  it  grew  strong  enough  to  stand  alone.  Only  in  our  own  days  have 
institutions  of  the  same  character  been  endowed  in  a  few  places  by  the  State  govern- 
ments.' 

In  founding  the  university  it  was  not  associated  with  any  particular 
church,  but  it  s<mght  to  be  at  peace  with  them  all.  Franklin  had  to 
contend  with  the  pn^judices  of  hi.s  times.  The  history  of  the  University 
of  Penn.sylvania  during  tlie  eighteenth  century  and  a  great  i)art  of  the 
nineteenth  is  characterized  by  this  separation  of  academic  from  ecclesi- 
astical interests.'  The  university  never  had  a  theologicnl  school.  Its 
faculties,  "as  strongly  called  as  if  they  heard  a  voice  from  heaven," 
have  been  gathered  from  all  sects,  and  the  whole  character  of  the  insti- 
tution has  been  free  from  ecclesiastical  bias.  Without  doubt,  as  Prof. 
Thomj)son  intimates,  this  condition  of  the  university  for  so  many  years 
explains  the  absence  of  that  western  influence  so  characteristic  of  Har- 
vard an<l  of  Yale.  It  is  true  that  the  university,  having  established 
the  first  medical  school  in  America,  was  the  parent  of  all  the  medical 
schools  of  the  West,  but  it  was  the  young  clergymen  and  schoolmas- 
ters freshly  graduated  from  Harvard  or  Yale  who  fixed, public  opinion 
in  the  Northwest  Territory,  and  towards  the  South,  who  laid  the  foun- 
dations of  schools,  and  who  began  newspapers  in  the  Ohio  valley  and 
impartwl  to  the  States  west  of  the  original  thirteen  much  of  their 
original  zeal  for  education. 

Hut  Franklin  was  wi.se  in  his  generation,  and  his  farsightedness  is 
now  evident.  P>xrlesiasticism  has  given  place  to  at  least  neutrality  in 
the  great  American  universities,  but  we  must  not  forget  that  during 
the  half  century  that  followed  the  American  revolution,  when  the  West 

'  Eletueuta  of  Political  Economy,  page  372. 

«8ee  Mr.  Stewart's  pa]ter  on  the  history  of  the  university,  infra. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  141 

was  receiving  its  immigrants  from  the  Eastern  States,  the  vast  ecclesi- 
astical influence  of  New  England  carried  with  it  the  influence  of  Har- 
vard and  of  Yale.  If  Franklin  had  been  a  devout  churchman  and  had 
identitted  the  Universityof  Pennsylvania  with  a  powerful  ecclesiastical 
body,  without  doubt  tlie  influence  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
throughout  the  West  would  have  been  gi-eater  during  the  first  half  of 
the  present  century.^  Now,  however,  we  have  caught  up  with  Frank- 
lin's idea  and  have  seen  great  universities  established  in  the  last  30 
years  as  free  from  ecclesiastical  association  as  was  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1749  and  as.  it  is  now.  It  is  an  interesting  subject, 
which  we  hope  some  one  may  be  pleased  to  pursue,  to  trace  the  influ- 
ence of  the  church  upon  the  educational  institutions  of  America  and 
show  the  causes  which  have  led  at  least  to  the  foundation  of  institu- 
tions of  learning  upon  a  purely  academic  basis.  It  is  interesting,  in- 
deed, that  the  first  institution  so  founded  was  Girard  College,  and  this 
institution  is  in  perfect  keeping  with  Franklin's  ideas  on  education. 
We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  this  phase  of  Franklin's  influence 
in  our  brief  account  of  Girard  College. 

*  The  letter  to  Dr.  Johnson  is  of  particular  interest  to  the  teaching 
profession  because  it  went  far  to  correct  the  notion  i)revalent  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  not  wholly  dead  yet,  that  talents  ^r  the  edu- 
cation of  youth  are  not  a  gift  of  God.  It  was  strange  doctrine  to  Puri- 
tan ears  that  a  teacher  was  as  "  strongly  called  as  if  he  had  heard  a 
voice  from  Heaven." 

In  Franklin's  Observations  Concerning  the  Increase  of  Mankind  and 
the  Peopling  of  Countries,  written  in  1751,  he  attempted  to  solve 
another  problem  in  economics.  He  was  the  first  to  point  out  that 
population  increases  more  rapidly  in  America  than  in  Europe,  and  that 
this  was  due  to  the  ease  and  convenience  of  supporting  a  family  in 
America  incident  to  the  demand  for  labor  and  the  abundance  and  the 
cheapness  of  land.  The  population  of  America  must  "at  least  be 
doubled  every  twenty  years,"  but  notwithstanding  this  increase,  he 
says: 

So  vast  is  tlio  territory  of  North  America  that  it  will  require  mauy  aRea  to  settle 
it  fully,  aud  until  it  is  fully  settled  labor  will  never  be  cheap  here,  where  uo  man 
continues  long  a  laborer  for  others,  but  gets  a  plantation  of  his  own,  aud  no  man 
continues  a  journeyman  to  a  trade,  but  goes  among  those  new  settlers  and  sets  up 
for  himself,  etc. 

In  proportion  to  the  increase  of  the  colonies  there  had  been  a  vast  demand  for 
British  manufactures,  making  a  '-glorious  market  wholly  in  the  power  of  Britain; 
indeed,  foreigners  can  not  interfere.  It  will  increase  in  a  short  time  even  beyond 
her  power  of  supplying,  though  her  whole  trade  should  be  to  her  colonies;  therefore 
Britain  should  *i6t  too  much  restrain  manufactures  in  her  colonies.  ♦ 


•The  distribution  of  the  .matriculates  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  1740-1891, 
is  shown  in  the  tables  of  attendance  infra,  showing  that  the  university  is  strength- 
ening its  influence  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 


142  '  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

This  good  advice  was  wholly  lost,  thoug^h  it  was  given  tweuty-five 
years  before  the  Declaration  of  Independence.    It  is  in  these  Observa 
tions  that  Franklin  applied  his  ideas  of  labor  to  slavery: 

It  is  an  ill-gronuded  opinion  thaffey  the  labor  of  slaves  America  may  possibly  Tie 
in  cheapness  of  manufactures  with  Britain.  Labor  of  slaves  can  never  be  so  cheap 
here  as  the  labor  of  workingmcn  is  in  Britain.  »  »  »  Why,  then,  ■will  Ameri- 
cans pnrcbaae  slaves  ?  Because  slaves  may  be  kept  as  long  as  a  man  pleases,  or  has 
occasion  for  their  labor,  while  hired  men  are  continually  leaving  their  masters 
(even  iu  the  midst  of  business)  and  setting  np  for  themselves. 

This  was  Franklin's  first  discussion  of  the  slave  question,  to  which 
he  gave  earnest  attention  to  the  close  of  his  life,  ever  advocating  the 
abolition  of  slavery. 

The  principal  idea  of  the  paper  was  the  future  of  the  English  race, 
and  he  thought  that  were  earth  "  emptied  of  other  inhabitants  it  might, 
in  a  few  ages,  be  replenished  from  one  nation  only,  as,  for  instance, 
with  Englishmen;"  and  he  then  entered  upon  one  of  his  favorite 
diversions,  computing  the  population  of  ^S^orth  America : 

Thus  there  81*0  supposed  to  be  now  upwards  of  1,000,000  English  souls  in  North 
America,  though  it  is  thought  scarce  80,000  have  been  brought  over  sea,  and  yet  per- 
haps there  is  not  one  the  fewer  in  Britain,  but  rather  many  more,  on  account  of  the 
employment  the  colonies  afford  to  the  manufactures  at  home.  This  million  doubling, 
suppose,  birt  once  in  twentj'-five  years  will,  in  another  centtiry,  be  more  than  the 
people  of  England,  and  the  greatest  number  of  Englishmen  will  be  on  this  side  the 
wat«r. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  that  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  this  tract  of 
Franklin's  suggested  the  celebrated  essay  on  population  by  Malthus. 
The  sentence,  "This  million  doubling,  suppose,  but  once  in  twenty-five 
years  will,  in  another  century,  be  more  than  the  people  of  England," 
seems  to  have  suggested  to  Malthus  that  population  was  destined  to 
outrun  the  means  of  subsistence,  as  an  arithmetical  ratio  falls  behind 
a  geometrical.  Malthus  publi.shed  his  essay  in  1820.  William  Godwin 
wrote  a  reply  to  Malthus,  having  first  attempted  to  break  down  Frank- 
lin's statenient.' 

Dr.  Franklin  [Godwin  says]  is  in  this  case  particularly  the  object  of  onr  attention, 
becauM"  he  was  the  first  man  who  started  the  idea  of  the  people  of  America  being 
mn]ti)>lied  by  procreation  so  as  to  double  every  twenty-five  years.  Dr.  Franklin, 
born  in  Boston,  was  eminently  an  American  patriot,  and  the  paper  from  which  these 
extracts  are  taken  was  expressly  written  to  exalt  the  importance  and  glory  of  his 
country. 

Franklin  may  thus  be  regarded  as  the  first  to  call  attention  in  the 
erono?nic  world  to  the  ratio  between  the  increase  of  population  and  the 
means  of  its  subsistence,  in  the  effort  to  determine  which  doctrine  the 
jwlitical  ecofiomi.st.s  have  ever  since  been  engaged. 

That  Franklin  should  have  first  formulated  the  doctrine  that  labor 
is  the  wealth  producer,  anticipating  Adam  Smith,  and  should  have 

'  See  Bigelow,  Vol.  ii,  p.  232,  note. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  143 

first  suggested  the  law  of  the  increase  of  population,  which  anticipated 
Malthus,  places  him  among  the  great  economists  of  the  world. 

A  year  after  his  letter  to  Dr.  Johnson,  in  a  letter  to  .Tared  Eliot  on 
the  12th  of  September,  Franklin  refers  to  the  academy  in  Thiladelpliia, 
later  the  University  of  Pennsylvania: 

Our  academy  flourishes  beyoud  expectation.  Wo  have  now  above  100  Bcholars, 
and  the  number  is  daily  increasing.  We  have  excellent  masters  at  present,  and  a« 
we  give  pretty  good  salaries,  I  hope  we  shall  always  bo  able  to  procure  such.  W  • 
pay— 

The  rector,  who  teaches  Latin  and  Greek £200 

The  English  master jgo 

The  mathematical  professor • J25 

Three  assistant  tutors  (each  £60) jgO 

Total  per  annum 655 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  these  dtems  the  pay  of  the  English  master 
was  as  great  as  that  of  any  of  the  instructors.  Subsequent  changes 
in  the  course  of  study  in  the  academy  led  to  Franklin's  expostulation 
against  lowering  the  plane  of  the  English  instruction.  His  Observa- 
tions Kelative  to  the  Intentions  of  the  Original  Founders  of  the  Academy 
in  Philadelphia,  written  thirty-eight  years  later,  are  the  history  of 
these  changes  and  Franklin's  protest.^ 

Two  years  later,  on  the  19th  of  April,  Franklin  wrote  to  the  Rev. 
William  Smith,  appointed  provost  of  the  academy  in  1754,  and  filling 
that  office  as  head  of  the  academy  and  of  the  college  successfully  for  a 
period  of  thirty-seven  years,  until  the  University  was  created  in  its 
second  charter  of  1791.*    Franklin's  letter  to  Dr.  Smith  is  as  follows: 

Philadelphia,  April  19, 1753. 

Sir:  I  received  your  favor  of  the  11th  instant,  with  your  new  piece  on  education,' 
which  I  shall  carefully  peruse  and  give  you  my  sentiments  of  it,  as  you  desire,  by 
next  post. 

I  believe  the  young  gentlemen,  your  pupils,  may  be  entertained  and  instructed 
here  in  mathematics  and  philosophy  to  satisfaction.  Mr.  Allison, •«  who  was  educated 
at  Glasgow,  has  been  long  accustomed,  to  teach  the  latter,  and  Mr.  Grew"  the  former, 
and  I  think  that  their  pupils  make  great  progress;  Mr.  Allison  has  the  care  of  the 
Latin  and  Greek  school,  but  as  he  has  noAV  throe  good  assistants,'"  he  can  very  well 
afi'ord  some  hours  every  day  for  the  instruction  of  those  who  are  engaged  in  higher 
studies.  The  mathematical  school  is  pretty  well  furnished  with  instruments.  The 
English  library  is  a  good  one,  and  we  have,  l»elonging  to  it,  a  middling  apparatus 

'  See  Observations  Relative  to  the  Intentions  of  the  Original  Founders,  etc.,  supra. 

'For  much  valuable  information  concerning  the  academy,  the  old  college,  and  the 
inception  of  the  University,  see  Wood's  History  of  the  University  in  Vol.  ill  of  the 
Memoirs  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

'A  general  idea  of  the  College  of  Mirania.     (Stuber.) 

*The  Rev.  Francis  Allison,  afterwards  Vice-Provost  of  the  College  iu  Philadelphia. 
(Stuber.) 

*Theophilu8  Grew,  afterwards  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  the  college.    (Stuber 

«Those  assistants  were  at  that  time  Charles  Thompson,  afterwards  Secretary  of 
Congress;  Paul  Jackson,  and  Jacob  Duche.     (Stuber.    Bigelow,  Vol.  ii,  p.  288.) 


144  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

ior  f.\i>eiiiii«i»iiil  philosophy,  and  propose  speedilj'  to  complete  it.  The  Loganian 
Library,  one  of  the  liest  colleetions  in  -Vinerica,  is  shortly  to  be  opeued,  so  that  neither 
)K>uks  nor  iustrunients  will  be  wanting;  and  as  we  are  determined  always  to  give 
goo<l  salaritfl,  we  have  reason  to  believe  we  may  have  always  an  opportunity  of 
fhoosing  good  masters;  upon  which,  indeed,  the  success  of  the  whole  depends.  We 
are  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind  ofters  in  this  resp.ect,  and  when  you  are  settled  in 
England  we  may  occasionally  make  use  of  your  friendship  aud  judgment. 

If  it  snits  your  convenience  to  visit  Philadelphia  before  your  return  to  Europe,  I 
shall  be  extremely  glad  to  see  and  converse  with  you  here,  as  well  as  to  correspond 
with  you  after  your  settlement  in  England,  for  an  acquaintance  and  communica- 
tion with  men  of  learning,  virtue,  and  public  spirit  is  one  of  my  greatest  enjoymenta. 

I  do  not  know  whether  yon  ever  happened  to  see  the  first  proposals  I  made  for 
erecting  this  academy.  I  send  them  inclosed.  They  had,  however  imperfect,  the 
desired  snccess,  being  followed  by  a  subscription  of  four  thousand  pounds  towards 
carrying  them  into  execution.  As  we  are  fond  of  receiving  advice  and  are  daily 
improving  by  experience,  I  am  in  the  hopes  we  shall,  in  a  few  years,  see  a  perfect 
institution. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  etc. 

B.  Franklin. 

Franklin  was  in  sympathy  with  Dr.  Smith's  ideas  in  education. 
They  were  far  in  advance  of  the  prevailing  sentiment  of  the  times  aud 
are  substantially  embodied  in  the  four  years'  course  prevailing  at  the 
present  time.  Prof.  Lamberton  has  shown  at  length  the  philosophical 
character  of  Dr.  Smith's  educational  ideas,  and  that  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  was  the  first  American  institution  to  adopt  the  curricu- 
lum common  now  throughout  the  country.'  Much  has  been  said  of 
Franklin's  relations  to  Dr.  Smith,  and  there  is  a  diversity  of  sentiment 
concerning  them.  It  seems  upon  consideration  of  the  evidence  that 
Dr.  Smith  leaned  to  the  classical  studies,  while  Franklin  preferred  the 
English  branches.  This  may  possibly  be  explained  by  the  difference 
in  the  education  of  Franklin  and  Smith.  Dr.  Franklin  would  have  all 
young  men  trained  as  he  had  trained  himself;  Dr.  Smith,  a  fine  clas- 
sical scholar,  would  place  Latin  and  Greek  above  the  English  language 
in  the  college.  To  these  fundamental  differences  between  them  was 
added  the  disputes  growing  out  of  the  relations  of  the  academy  and 
the  college  to  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  contentious 
following  the  war  of  tlie  Revolution.  The  college  was  likely  to  be 
destroyed  amidst  these  serious  commotions.^ 

In  1754  Franklin  drew  his  plan  of  union  for  the  colonies,  known  as 
the  Albany  Plan.  It  illustrates  his  love  of  compromise,  and  the  scheme 
as  first  drawn  by  Franklin  is,  "Short  Hints  towards  a  Scheme  for 


'See  Prof.  Lam1)erton'8  article  on  the  Department  of  Arts  in  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania. 

'For  a  detailed  account  of  the  relations  between  Franklin  and  Smith  and  between 
the  college  an«l  tlie  legislature,  see,  infrn,  the  Hi.storical  Sketch  of  the  University,  by 
•John  L.  Stewart,  i-h.  B. :  The  University  in  its  Relations  to  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, by  the  Hon.  Samuel  W.  Pennypacker,  li,.  d.  ;  The  Relationg'of  the  University 
and  the  City,  by  J.  G.  Rosengarten,  a.  m.  ;  The  Provosts  and  Vice-Prtn-osts,  by  Hon. 
Henry  Reed,  A.  M. ;  The  Department  of  Arts,  by  Prof.  William  Lamberton,  A.M. 


WILLIAM  SMITH,  D.  D.,  THE  FIRST  PROVOST  OF  THE  UXITERSITY  OF  PENXSYLVANTA. 

1755-1779. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  145 

uniting  the  Northern  Colonies."  While  the  conimissionerK  from  the 
colonies,  who  avssembled  at  Albarjy,  met  for  the  ostensibhi  purpose  of 
discussing  Indian  affairs,  the  subject  of  a  plan  of  union,  the  uppermost 
thought  in  Franklin's  mind,  received  their  attention.  It  is,  as  pro- 
posed by  Franklin,  according  to  the  representative  idea  of  govei-nment 
a  governor  general  appointed  by  the  King,  having  a  salary  from  the 
Crown  and  a  veto  on  the  acts  of  the  grand  coun(;il,  to  be  chosen  by  the 
assembly  of  one  member  from  each  of  the  smaller  colonies  and  two  or 
more  from  each  of  the  larger.  It  was  an  effort  to  establish  for  the 
colonies  a  government  similar  to  that  now  existing  in  Canada.  Franklin 
says  of  the  Albany  Plan : 

The  asseml)li«^s  all  thought  there  was  too  much  prerogative  and  in  England  it 
was  thought  to  have  too  much  of  the  democratic,  and  therefore  the  plan  was  not 
adopted. 

In  1755  his  experiments  in  killing  fowls  by  electricity  led  him  to 
record:  "Too  great  a  charge  might  indeed  kill  a  man.  *  *  •  It 
would  certainly,  as  you  observe,  be  the  easiest  of  all  deaths,"  antici- 
pating modern  electrocution. 

His  utilitarian  philosophy  is  illustrated  in  his  letter  to  George  White- 
field  of  July  2,  1756: 

Life,  like  a  dramatic  piece,  should  not  only  bo  conducted  with  regularity,  but, 
methinks,  it  should  finish  handsomely.  Being  now  in  the  last  act,  I  begin  to  cast 
about  for  something  fit  to  end  with ;  or,  if  mine  be  more  properly  compared  to  an 
epigram,  aa  some  of  its  lines  are  but  barely  tolerable,  I  am  very  desirous  of  concluding 
with  a  bright  point.  In  such  an  enterprise!  could  spend  the  remainder  of  life  with 
pleasure,  and  I  firmly  believe  God  would  bless  us  with  success  if  we  undertook  it 
with  a  sincere  regard  to  His  honor,  the  service  of  our  gracious  King,  and  (which  is 
the  8.ame  thing)  the  public  good. 

It  is  in  this  letter  that  he  thanks  Whitefield  for  his  "generous  bene- 
factions to  the  German  schools.  They  go  on  pretty  well,  and  will  do 
better  when  Mr.  Smith, ^  who  has  at  present  the  principal  charge  of 
them,  shall  learn  to  mind  party  writing  an^  party  politics  less  and  his 
proper  business  more,  which,  I  hope,  time  will  bring  about." 

Franklin's  love  of  a  comfortable  ancestry  is  illustrated  in  his  letter 
to  his  wife  from  London  the  0th  of  September,  1758,  in  which  he  gives 
an  account  of  his  visit  to  Huntingdonshire,  the  ancient  home  of  his 
family.  He  is  there  pleased  to  record  of  his  ancestors  that  the  women 
were  smart  and  sensible ;  that  the  men  became  wealthy,  left  off  business, 
and  lived  comfortably;  and,  as  was  characteristic  of  himself,  others 
were  Clever,  "  vastly  content  with  their  situation,  and  very  cheerful, 
and  another  a  leading  man  in  all  county  affairs  and  much  employed  in 
public  busines" — all  of  which  shows  Franklin's  ideal  of  men  and  women. 

'The  ill  feeling  between  Smith  and  Franklin  already  referred  to  was  intensified  by 
the  heat  of  local  politics,  but  it  seems  tliat  the  contention  between  them  gradually 
ceased,  and  so  completely  that  Dr.  Smitli  accepted  the  invitation  to  pronounce  the 
eulogy  upon  Franklin  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

H80 10 


146  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

In  1 760,  in  his  letter  of  May  3  to  Lord  Kames,  he  acknowledges  the 
receipt  of  the  Principles  of  Equity,  "which,"  says  Franklin,  "will  be 
of  more  servit-e  to  the  colony  judges,  as  few  of  them  have  been  bred  to 
the  law,"  and  he  therefore  sent  his  copy  to  a  particular  friend  in  Phila- 
delphia, one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
to  Rev.  William  Smith,  afterwards  Provost  of  the  University.  It  is  in 
this  letter  that  he  outlines  "  a  little  work  for  the  benefit  of  youth,"  to  be 
called  the  Art  of  Virtue : 

Most  people  have  naturally  some  virtues,  but  noue  have  naturally  all  the  virtues. 
To  acquire  those  that  are  wanting,  and  secure  what  we  acquire  as  well  as  those  we 
have  naturally,  is  as  properly  au  art  as  painting,  navigation,  or  architecture.  If  a 
man  would  become  a  painter,  navigator,  or  architect,  it  is  not  enough  that  ho  is  ad- 
vised to  be  one;  that  he  is  convinced  by  the  arguments  of  his  adviser;  that  it  would 
be  for  his  advantage  to  be  one,  and  that  he  resolves  to  be  one,  but  he  must  also  be 
taught  the  principles  of  the  art,  be  shown  all  the  methods  of  working,  and  how  to 
acquire  the  habits  of  using  properly  all  the  instruments;  and  thus  regularly  and 
gradually  he  arrives  by  practice  at  some  perfection  in  the  art.  If  he  does  not  pro- 
ceed thus  he  is  apt  to  meet  with  difficulties  that  discourage  him  and  make  him  drop 
the  pursuit. 

He  would  have  youth  become  virtuous  as  he  would  have  them  be- 
come "tolerable  English  writers,"  by  practice,  and  his  theory  occurs 
in  his  writings  again  and  again. 

The  limitations  on  this  article  prevent  me  from  doing  more  than  to 
refer  to  some  of  Franklin's  ideas  concerning  the  future  of  America,  but 
one  of  great  moment  deserves  passing  attention;  his  firm  belief  that 
Canada  should  share  the  fate  of  the  thirteen  colonies  and  form  with 
them  a  united  America.  This  belief  of  his  is  outlined  in  his  pamphlet 
entitled,  "The  Interest  of  Great  Britain  with  regard  to  our  Colonies 
and  the  Aquisition  of  Canada  and  Guadaloupe,"  written  in  1760.  It 
seems  strange  to  us  that  some  English  statesmen  should  have  consid- 
ered Guadaloupe  as  more  valuable  to  the  British  Empire  than  Canada; 
Franklin,  however,  prevailed  and  Canada  was  retained.  Had  his  views 
prevailed  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  of  peace  in  1783,  Canada  would  now 
be  a  part  of  the  United  States. 

In  the  same  year,  September  27,  addressing  David  Hume  from  Cov- 
entry, he  says,  referring  to  a  pamphlet  on  the  Constitution  and  Gov- 
ernment of  Pennsylvania,  long  attributed  to  Franklin,  but  probably 
brought  out  by  his  patronage  though  not  written  by  him: 

I  am  not  a  little  pleased  to  hear  of  your  change  of  sentiment  in  some  particulars  re- 
lating to  America,  because  I  think  it  of  importance  to  our  general  welfare  that  the  peo- 
ple of  this  nation  should  have  right  notions  of  us,  and  I  know  no  one  that  hiw  it  more 
in  his  power  to  rectify  their  notions  than  Mr.  Hume.  I  have  lately  read  with  great 
pleasure,  as  I  do  everything  of  yours,  the  excellent  essay  on  the  Jealousy  of  Com- 
merce.'    I  think  it  can  not  but  have  a  good  effect  in  promoting  a  certain  interest 

Essay  on  "The  Jealousy  of  Trade,"  No.  XXVIII,  in  Hume's  Collected  Works; 
Nos.  XXV,  XXVI,  XXVII,  XXIX,  XXX,  and  XXXI,  on  Money,  Interest,  Trade, 
Taxes,  and  Pablic  Credit,  are  interesting  in  relation  to  Franklin's  notions  on  those 
subjects. 


FRANKLIN   AND    LORD    ROMEO.  147 

but  little  thought  of  by  seliish  inau  au«l  scarcely  ever  mentioned,  so  that  we  hardly 
have  a  name  for  it — I  mean  the  Interest  of  hunmnity,  or  conmion  good  of  mankind. 
But  I  hope,  particularly  from  that  essay,  an  abatement  of  the  jealousy  that  reigns 
here  of  the  markets  of  the  colonies,  at  least  so  far  as  such  abatement  may  be  rea- 
sonable. 

This  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  perhaps  the  first  use  of  the  phrase 
"the  general  welfare,"  as  relating  to  America,  a  phrase  destined  to 
receive  a  constantly  more  extended  meaning  and  to  become  fixed  in 
the  public  mind  by  insertion  in  the  Preamble  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States.  Probably  no  philosopher  of  the  eighteenth  century  con- 
tributed so  much  to  the  definition  of  the  "  general  welfare"  as  David 
Hume.  To  his  writings  may  be  traced  many  of  the  causes  of  both  the 
American  and  the  French  revolutions,  and  Franklin's  relations  to  him, 
their  correspondence,  and  the  influence  which  each  had  on  the  other 
are  of  great  interest.  If  Hume  precipitated  the  French  revolution, 
Franklin  may  be  said  to  have  hastened  the  independence  of  the  Unitetl 
States.  As  has  been  already  said,  Franklin  educated  the  colonies  to 
become  independent  States. 

In  November,  1761,  he  thanks  Lord  Kames  for  a  copy  of  his  Intro- 
duction to  the  Art  of  Thinking,  and  inquires  after  the  Elements  of 
Criticism  then  in  preparation.    He  adds : 

I  promise  myself  no  small  satisfaction  in  perusing  that  work  also.  By  the  first 
you  sow  thick  in  the  young  mind  the  seeds  of  common  sense  concerning  moral  con- 
duct, which,  as  they  grow  and  are  transplanted  into  life,  must  greatly  adoni  the 
character  and  habits  of  the  person.  Permit  me  to  say  that  I  think  I  never  saw  more 
solid  useful  matter  contained  in  so  small  a  compass,  and  yet  the  method  and  expres- 
sion so  clear  that  the  brevity  occasions  no  obscurity.  In  the  other  yoti  will,  by 
alluring  youth  to  the  practice  of  learning,  strengthen  their  judgment,  improve  and 
enlarge  their  understfvnding,  and  increase  their  abilities  of  being  useful.  To  produce 
the  number  of  valuable  men  necessary  in  a  nation  for  its  prosperity,  there  is  much 
more  hope  through  schemes  of  early  institution  than  from  reformation;  and  as  the 
power  of  a  single  man  to  do  national  service  in  particular  situations  of  influence  is 
often  eminently  great,  a  writer  can  hardly  conceive  the  good  he  may  be  doing  when 
engaged  in  works  of  this  kind.  I  can  not  therefore  btit  wish  you  would  publish  it 
as  soon  as  your  other  important  employments  will  permit  you  to  give  it  a  finishing 
hand.  With  these  sentiments  you  will  not  doubt  my  being  serious  in  the  intention 
of  finishing  my  Art  of  Virtue.  It  is  not  a  mere  ideal  work.  I  planned  it  first  in 
1732.  I  have  from  time  to  time  made,  and  caused  to  be  made,  experiment*  of  the 
method  with  success.  The  materials  have  been  growing  ever  since;  the  form  only 
is  now  to  be  given  it,  in  which  I  purpose  employing  my  first  leisure  after  my  return 
to  my  mother  country. 

'  Evidently  Franklin  considers  his  proposed  Art  of  Virtue  as  the  mag- 
num opus  of  his  life.  Whenever  he  receives  a  work  from  a  distinguished 
author  he  is  quite  likely  to  r,efer  to  this  propose<l  work  of  his  as  not  an 
ideal  or  theoretical  thing  but  one  of  great  practical  utility;  somewhat 
conscious  of  his  own  infirmities,  he  thought  he  might  atone  for  them  by 
at  least  suggesting  to  others  how  they  might  improve  in  the  Art  of 
Virtue. 


148  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  1762,  Hume,  writing  to  Franklin  from  Edinburgh 
on  a  device  for  protecting  houses  from  stroke  by  lightning,  says: 

I  thought  it  proper  to  convey  to  Jon  these  two  ideas  of  so  ingenious  a  ntan,  that 
yon  might  adopt  them  if  they  appear  to  you  well  founded.  I  am  very  sorry  that 
you  intend  soon  to  leave  us;  I  am  sure  America  has  sent  us  many  good  things,  gold, 
silver,  sugar,  tobacco,  indigo,  etc.,  but  you  are  the  first  philosopher,  and  indeed  the 
first  great  man  of  letters  for  whom  we  are  beholden  to  her. 

This  letter  is  evidence  of  the  sympathy  between  Hume  and  Franklin,' 
who  in  reply  nine  days  later  regretted  leaving  a  country  "  in  which  I 
have  received  so  much  friendship,  and  friends  whose  conversation  has 
been  so  agreeable  and  so  improving  to  me." 

Public  events  soon  withdrew  Franklin  from  his  scientific  studies  and 
he  was  concerned  with  the  measures  of  Parliament.  In  his  letter  to 
Charles  Thompson  of  July  11,  1765,  he  says: 

Depend  upon  it,  my  good  neighbor,  I  took  every  step  in  my  power  to  prevent  the 
passing  of  the  Stamp  Act,  Nobody  could  be  more  concerned  and  interested  than 
myself  to  oppose  it  sincerely  and  heartily,  but  the  tide  w'as  too  strong  against  us. 
The  nation  was  provoked  by  American  claims  to  independence,  i.  e.,  independent  of 
local  taxation  by  Parliament,  and  all  parties  joined  in  resolving  by  this  act  to  settle 
the  point.  That  we  could  not  do.  But  since  it  is  down,  my  friend,  and  it  may  be 
long  before  it  rises  again,  let  us  make  as  good  a  night  of  it  as  we  can;  we  may  still 
light  candles;  frugality  and  industry  will  go  a  great  way  towards  indemnifying  us. 
Idleness  and  pride  tax  with  a  heavier  hand  than  kings ;  if  we  can  get  rid  of  the 
former,  we  may  easily  bear  the  latter. 

It  was  a  favorite  idea  of  Franklin's  that  many  of  the  ills  incident  to 
bad  government  were  less  than  the  ills  which  people  voluntarily  suffer 
from  idleness  and  pride,  and  he  is  constantly  applying  the  formula  ot 
his  moral  algebra  to  the  solution  of  some  practical  question  of  the  times. 

It  was  on  the  3d  of  February,  1766,  that  Dr.  Franklin  was  examined 
at  the  bar  of  the  House  of  Commons;  that  long,  severe,  and  exhaustive 
examination  by  friends  and  enemies  is  the  clearest  account  which  we 
have  of  the  relations  between  England  and  the  American  colonies  at 
that  time.  Franklin's  practical  knowledge  of  America,  due  to  his  ex- 
perience as  deputy  postmaster  of  the  colonies,  and  his  wise  observations 
during  his  official  journeys  in  the  colonies,  equipped  him  to  be  the 
advocate  of  the  rights  of  the  Americans.  For  the  first  time  the  British 
Parliament  heard  a  truthful  account  of  America.  I  can  only  refer  to 
this  examination  as  an  illustration  of  all  that  we  have  said  of  Franklin's 
method  of  conveying  knowledge.  This  examination  was  the  most  im- 
portant Socratic  dialogue  in  which  Franklin  ever  engaged.  He  care- 
fully distinguishes  between  the  right  of  the  colonial  assemblies  to  levy 
local  or  internal  taxes  and  the  right  of  l*arliament  to  levy  an  external 

'Perhaps  no  better  summary  of  Franklin  can  be  made  than  Knight's  remark  about 
Hume-:  "Even  in  the  sentimental  days  of  boyhood,  his  estimates  of  men  and  things 
were  based,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  upon  ulilily.  He  was  essenti.ally  matter-of- 
fact  from  the  first,  and  he  remained  uu-ideal  to  the  last.  An  acute  observer,  one  of 
the  keenest  and  cleverest  of  critics,  he  was  never  known  to  have  been  carried  away 
by  any  fervor  for  what  was  above  and  beyond  himself.    Knight's  Life  of  Hume,  p.  8. 


FRANKLIN  AND  THE  PHYSIOCRATS.  149 

tax  or  a  duty ;  lie  contending  that  there  was  not  a  single  article  imported 
into  the  northern  colonies  but  what  they  could  either  do  without  or 
make  themselves,  that  withindustry  and  good  management  they  could 
very  well  supply  themselves  with  all  they  wanted,  it  would  not  take  a 
long  time  to  establish  manufactures  among  them,  and  it  was  his  opiuion 
that  before  their  old  clothes  were  worn  out  they  would  have  new  ones 
of  their  own  making.  The  whole  examination  shows  that  in  Franklin's 
opinion  the  Americans  were  i)repared  to  be  self-supporting,  and  it  is 
interesting  as  formulating  the  principal  points  which  were  afterwards 
used  by  Adam  Smith  in  his  Wealth  of  Nations  as  illustrations  of  his 
economic  theories  respecting  new  countries. 

Meanwhile  the  influence  of  Hume,  Voltaire,  Turgot,  and  Quesnay 
and  of  others  who  had  worked  out  in  their  philosophy  a  scheme  for  the 
regeneration  of  mankind,  was  rapidly  precipitating  the  revolutiims  of 
177G  in  America  and  of  1787  in  France.  It  will  always  be  a  matter  of 
speculation  to  what  extent  Hume  and  Adam  Smith  and  Franklin  by 
their  philosophy  contributed  to  hastening  these  stupendous  changes. 
I  can  only  refer  to  them  and  leave  to  others  the  elaboration  of  this 
interesting  subject. 

Among  the  brilliant  thinkers  of  the  eighteenth  century  were  a  num- 
ber of  men  now  known  as  the  i)hysiocrats,  from  the  general  title  given 
in  1768  to  the  first  volume  of  Quesnay's  collected  works,  published  by 
his  disciple,  Dupont  de  Nemours.  The  physiocrats  sought  a  universal 
exposition  of  the  wants  of  man  and  how  these  wants  should  be  met  in 
the  natural  constitution  and  the  natural  order  of  human  society.  Gov- 
ernment should  be  according  to  the  nature  of  things;  the  world  is  gov- 
erened  by  immutable  physical  and  moral  laws;  it  is  for  man,  an  intelli- 
gent and  free  being,  to  discover  them  and  to  obey  them  or  to  violate 
them  for  his  own  good  or  evil;  the  end  assigned  to  the  exercise  of  his 
intellectual  and  i)hysical  powers  is  the  appropriation  of  matter  for  the 
satisfaction  of  his  wants  and  the  improvement  of  his  condition,  and  to 
the  general  accomplishment  of  this  task  conformably  to  the  idea  of  the 
just,  which  is  the  correlative  of  the  idea  of  the  useful.  Man  forms  an 
idea  of  justice  and  utility,  both  individual  and  social,  through  the  no- 
tions of  duty  and  right  which  his  nature  reveals  to  him  and  which 
teach  him  that  it  is  contrary  to  his  good  and  the  general  welfare  to 
seek  his  own  advantage  in  a  damage  done  to  others.  This  idea  enter- 
ing the  minds  of  individuals  and  peoples  in  proportion  to  the  incre^ase 
of  enlightenment  and  the  advance  of  civilization,  they  naturally  i)ro- 
duce  feelings  of  fraternity  among  men  and  peace  among  peoples.  The 
chief  manifestations  of  justice  are  liberty  and  prosperity;  that  is  to  say, 
the  right  of  each  one  to  do  that  which  shall  in  no  way  concern  the  gen- 
eral welfare,  and  to  use  at  his  pleasure  the  things  which  he  possesses, 
the  acquirement  of  which  is  conformable  to  the  nature  of  things  and  to 
the  general  utility,  since  without  liberty  and  i)roperty  there  would  have 
been  no  civilization  and  a  very  much  smaller  amount  of  good  at  the 


150  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

disposition  of  jnaii.  Liberty  and  property  si)riiig,  then,  from  tlie  nature 
of  man,  and  are  rights  so  essential  tliat  laws  or  ajjfreements  amonjL;;  men 
should  be  limitetl  to  recognizing  them,  to  formulating  them,  to  saving 
them.  Governments  Jiave  no  mission  but  to  juotect  these  two  rights 
which,  with  a  correct  understanding  of  things,  embrace  all  the  material 
and  moral  wants  of  society.  To  say  that  liberty  and  property  are 
essential  rights,  is  to  say  that  they  are  in  harmony  with  the  general 
interest  of  the  species;  that  is  to  say,  that  with  them  land  is  more  ier- 
tile  and  the  industry  of  man  in  its  manifestations  more  productive,  and 
the  development  of  all  his  moral,  intellectual,  scientific,  and  artistic 
aptitudes  swifter;  they  are  in  the  field  of  the  good  and  beautiful  and 
just  and  the  useful ;  that  is  to  say,  through  them  man  best  gathers  the 
fruit  of  his  own  efforts  and  that  he  is  not  at  least  the  victim  of  the  arbi- 
trary laws  of  his  fellow  men. 

As  the  physiocrats  were  utilitarians,'  Franklin,  whose  visit  to  France 
occurred  at  the  time  when  physiocraty  was  in  fashion^  became  a  disciple 
of  Quesnay.  Quesnay's  notion  that  "the  happiness  of  the  majority  de- 
pends much  less  upon  the  mechanism  of  governmental  forms  than  on 
the  development  of  human  industry,  and  that  it  is  impossible  to  discuss 
politics  rationally  without  having  previously  acquired  a  knowledge  of 
the  economy  of  society"  was  exactly  after  Franklin's,  Numerous  quo- 
tations from  Franklin's  works,  both  before  and  after  1 7(58,  would  i)rove 
this.  With  Adam  Smith  the  physiocrats  combated  the  mercantile 
theory  which  made  wealth  to  consist  only  in  the  precious  metals,  and 
which  exaggerated  the  advantages  of  foreign  commerce ;  they  combated, 
also,  the  infatuation  for  the  manufacturing  system;  Franklin's  ideas 
of  economy  were  founded  upon  an  agricultural  basis,  for  he  knew 
America,  and  America  was  then  agricultural.  The  theory  of  the  phys- 
iocrats that  agriculture  was  the  true  basis  of  all  government  doubtless 
appealed  to  Franklin.  In  his  letter  of  July  28,  1768,  to  Dupont  de 
Nemours,  he  acknowledges — 

The  most  acceptable  gift  of  yonr  '^Physiocratie"  (Origine  fet  Progres  d'nne  science 
notivelle),  which  I  have  read  with  great  pleasure,  aud  received  from  it  a  great  deal 
of  instruction.  There  is  so  much  freedom  from  local  aud  national  ])rejudiceH  and 
partialities,  so  much  benevoleuce  to  mankind  in  general,  so  much  goodness  mixed 
with  the  wisdom  in  the  principles  of  your  new  philosoi)hy,  that  I  am  perfectly 
charmed  with  them  and  wish  I  could  have  stayed  in  France  for  some  time  to  have 
studied  in  your  school,  that  I  might,  by  conversing  with  its  founders,  have  nuide 
myself  quite  a  master  of  that  philosoidjy.  I  had,  before  I  went  into  yonr  country, 
seen  some  letters  of  yours  to  Dr.  Templeman  that  gave  me  a  high  opinion  of  the 
doctrines  you  are  engaged  in  cultivating,  and  of  your  personal  talents  and  abili- 
ties, which  made  me  ;^reatly  desirous  of  seeing  you.  Since  I  had  not  that  good 
fortune,  the  next  best  thing  is  that  which  you  are  so  good  as  to  offer  me — your  cor- 
respondence— which  I  shall  ever  highly  value  and  endeavor  to  cultivate  with  all 
the  diligence  I  am  capable  of.  I  am  sorry  to  find  that  that  wisdom  which  sees  the 
welfare  of  the  parts  in  the  prosperity  of  the  whole  seems  yet  not  to  be  known  in 
this  country  (England).     *     '     *     It  is  from  your  philosophy  only  that  the  maxims 

•  See  Art.  Physiocrats,  by  John  Gamier  Lalor,  Vol.  ui.  * 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  151 

of  the  coutrjiiy  and  more  happy  conduct  are  to  be  drawn,  which  I  therefore  kIii- 
cerely  wish  may  grow  aud  increase  until  it  beconii-s  the  jroveming  philosophy  of 
the  human  species,  as  it  must  he  that  of  superior  beings  in  better  worlds.  I  take 
the  liberty  of  sending  you  a  little  fragment  that  is  somewhat  tinctured  by  it,  which 
on  that  account  may  be  acceptable.  Be  so  good  as  to  i)re8ent  my  sincere  respect  to 
that  venerable  apostle,  Dr.  Quesuay,  and  to  the  illustrious  Ami  des  Honimes  (of 
whose  civilities  to  me  at  Passy  I  retain  a  grateful  remembrance). 

Dupont  de  Nemours'  found  it  convenient  during  the  French  Revo- 
lution to  emigrate  to  the  United  States,  and  on  his  return  he  assisted 
in  negotiating  tlie  purchase  of  Louisiana  by  the  United  States,  and, 
at  the  request  of  Jefferson,  prepared  a  scheme  of  national  education 
for  the  young  Republic,  which  was  published  in  1812,  and  entitled ''Sur 
I'Education  Rationale  dans  les  Etats  Unis." 

In  Dr.  Adams's  Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  University  of  Virginia' 
an  interesting  account  is  given  of  the  survival  of  French  influence  in 
America,  and  particularly  of  the  work  of  Quesnay  and  Dupont  de 
l!femours  and  their  distinguished  associates  in  founding  the  Richmond 
Academy,  and  also  a  particular  account  of  Dupont  de  Nemours's  trea- 
tise on  national  education  and  the  influence  of  that  treatise  at  the 
time.  I  take  great  pleasure  in  referring  the  reader  not  only  to  this 
interesting  effort  so  intimately  associated  with  Franklin,  but  also  to 
the  whole  of  Dr.  Adams's  most  admirable  monograph. 

The  influence  of  the  physiocrats  on  Franklin  is  discernible  in  bis 
speeches  in  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1787,  particularly  in  his 
last  speech.^ 

Franklin's  method  of  arriving  at  a  conclusion  is  outlined  in  his  letter 
to  Dr.  Priestley,  September  19, 1772.  In  order  to  get  over  the  uncer- 
tainty and  perplexity  incident  to  making  up  his  mind  on  a  subject,  he 
says : 

My  way  ia  to  divide  half «  sheet  of  paper  by  a  line  into  two  columns,  writing  over 
the  one  pro  and  over  the  other  con;  then,  during  three  or  four  days'  consideration,  I 
put  down  under  the  different  heads  short  hiuts  of  the  diftereut  motives  that  at  dif- 
ferent times  occur  to  me  for  or  against  the  measure.  When  I  have  thus  got  them  all 
together  in  one  view  I  endeavor  to  estimate  their  respective  weights  and  where  I 
find  two  (one  on  each  side)  that  seem  equal  I  strike  them  b«)th  out.  If  I  find  a 
reason  pro  equal  to  some  two  reasons  con  I  strike  out  the  three.  If  1  judge  some 
two  reasons  con  equal  to  some  three  reasons  pro  I  strike  out  the  five;  and  thus  pro- 
ceeding I  find  at  length  where  the  balance  lies;  and  if.  after  a  day  or  two  of  further 
consideration,  nothing  new  that  is  of  importance  occurs  on  either  side  I  come  to  a 


'The  descendants  of  this  eminent  man  have  for  generations  been  educated  at  the 
Univei-sity  of  Pennsylvania;  the  seat  of  the  family  is  in  Delaware. 

•Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  University  of  Virginia,  by  Herb«!rt  B.  Adams,  Ph.  D., 
United  States  Bureau  of  Education,  Circular  of  Information  No.  1,  1888.  pp.  21-30, 
49-54.     Washington,  Government  Printing  Office,  1888. 

3For  the  doctrines  of  the  physiocrats  see  Quesnay's  Tableau  Economiqne,  1758, 
L'Ami  des  Hommes,  6  vols.,  1755-1760;  Turgot's  Refiexious  sur  la  formation  et  la 
Destruction  des  Richesses.  Adam  Smith  also  has  an  instructive  chapter  on  the 
physiocrats. 


152  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

determiuatiou  accorcliugly.  And  though  the  weight  of  reasons  can  uot  be  taken 
with  the  precision  of  algebraic  quantities,  yet  when  each  is  thus  considered  sepa- 
rately and  coniimratively  and  the  whole  lies  before  uiel  think  I  can  judge  better  and 
am  less  liable  to  make  a  rash  8tej>;  and  in  fact  I  have  found  great  advantage  from 
this  kind  of  equation  in  what  may  be  called  moral  or  prudential  algebra. 

This  method  of  arriving  at  a  conclusion  could  be  suggested  only  by 
a  man  like  Franklin,  who  based  his  notions  upon  comparison  of  conflict- 
ing claims,  and  whose  powers  in  forming  such  conclusions  were  so  great 
that  they  equipped  him  for  a  large  service  of  diplomacy.  Through- 
out his  schemes  for  the  education  of  youth  he  emphasizes  the  value  of 
comparison  as  an  element  in  education,  and  perhaps  no  more  curious 
or  pertinent  illustration  can  be  found  of  his  fondness  for  this  exercise 
than  in  his  prudential  algebra. 

Franklin's  sympathy  with  mankind  and  his  love  of  books  made  him 
a  prolific  writer,  and  his  numerous  short  articles,  not  wholly  unlike 
his  old  models  in  the  Spectator,  accumulated  rapidly  after  1770,  but  it 
should  not  be  imagined  that  these  apparently  easy  contributions  for 
the  pleasure  of  his  friends  were  not  the  result  of  great  labor.  The  ex- 
istence of  several  revisions  of  the  original  copy  attest  the  labor  with 
which  the  final  form  was  reached,  and  some  of  these  copies  are  so  freely 
interlined  as  to  be  almost  illegible.  The  perfection  of  the  style  of  many 
of  these  bagatelles  led  to  their  introduction  into  the  readers  in  our 
schools,  and  by  a  singular  destiny  Franklin  contributed  to  the  educa- 
tion of  youth  many  articles  such  as,  in  his  Plan  for  an  English  School, 
he  advises  should  be  read  by  children.  Many  of  these  short  stories 
have  become  English  classics. 

One  of  the  few  references  in  Franklin's  writings  to  civil  service  is 
found  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Timothy,  November  3, 1772,  in  which  he  says: 

I  am  sorry  yon  talk  of  leaving  off  your  business  with  the  view  of  getting  some 
post  (that  is,  public  office) ;  it  is  so  difficult  a  matter  to  obtain  anything  of  the  kiiid 
that  I  think  to  leave  a  good  trade  in  hopes  of  an  office  is  quitting  a  certainty  for  an 
uncertainty  and  losing  substance  for  shadow.  I  have  known  so  many  bore  (London) 
dangling  and  soliciting  years  for  places  until  they  were  reduced  to  the  lowest  pov- 
erty and  distress,  that  I  can  not  but  pity  a  man  who  begins  to  turn  his  thoughts  that 
way.  The  proverb  says,  "  He  who  has  a  trade  has  a  fetist  of  profit  and  honor  because 
he  does  not  hold  it  during  another  man's  pleasure  and  it  affords  him  honest  subsist- 
ence with  independence."  I  hope,  therefore,  you  will  alter  your  mind  and  go  on  with 
your  business. 

This  a<lvice  about  office-seeking  has  beeulost  upon  many  Americans. 

Franklin's  respect  for  the  trades  is  well  known;  he  never  ftngot  that 
he  liad  been  an  api)rentice,  and  always  found  satisfaction  in  describing 
himself  as  a  printer.  His  utilitarian  ideas  found  illustration  in  the  im- 
provement of  common  utensils  and  instruments  in  daily  iise.  For  in- 
stance, in  his  letter  of  April  11,  1773,  to  William  Dean,  he  knows  of 
nothing  new  worth  communicating  from  London — 

Unless,  perhaps,  the  new  art  of  making  carriage  wheels ;  the  felloes  of  one  piece 
bent  into  a  circle  and  surrounded  with  a  hoop  of  iron,  the  whole  very  light  and 
strong,  there  being  no  crossgrain  in  the  wood;  it  is  also  a  great  saving  of  timber. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  153 

The  wood  is  first  steamed  in  the  vapor  from  boiliug  water  and  then  bent  by  a.  forci- 
ble njachine.  1  liave  seen  pieces  of  wood  so  bent  of  (5  inches  wide  and  »i  thick  into 
a  circle  of  4  feet  diameter.  These  for  duration  <an  only  he  exceeded  by  your  own 
iron  wheels;  pray,  have  you  completed  that  ingenious  invention? 

Ill  this  letter,  also,  lie  says : 

I  have  completed  my  stove,  in  which  the  smoke  of  the  coal  is  all  turned  into  f.ame 
and  operates  as  fuel  in  heating  the  room.  I  have  used  it  all  this  winter  and  find  it 
answers  even  beyond  my  expectations.  I  propose  to  jtrint  a  little  description  of  its 
use  and  construction  and  shall  send  you  a  copy. 

All  of  this  he  did  soon  after.  He  was  the  first  to  devise  the  smoke- 
consuming  stove,  the  principle  of  which  has  been  largelj-  ai)plied  in  the 
construction  of  railroad  locomotives,  in  city  factories,  and  should  be 
much  more  widely  applied. 

"The  doctrines  of  life  and  death  in  general  are  yet  but  little  under- 
stood," he  writes  to  M.  Dubourg,  and  proceeds  to  describe  a  toad  that 
long  contained  in  a  stone  came  to  life.  The  curious  revival  of  the  toad 
led  Franklin  to  remark  on  an  instance  of  common  flies  preserved  in  a 
manner  somewhat  similar: 

They  had  been  drowned  in  Madeira  wine  apparently  about  the  time  it  waa  bottlea 
in  Virginia  to  be  sent  later  to  Loudon.  At  the  opening  of  one  of  the  bottles  at  the 
house  of  a  friend  where  I  then  was,  three  drowned  flies  fell  into  the  first  glass  that 
Avas  filled.  Having  heard  it  remarked  that  drowned  flies  were  capable  of  being 
revived  by  being  placed  in  the  rays  of  the  suu,  I  proposed  making  an  experiment" 
with  these.  They  were,  therefore,  exposed  to  the  suu  iipon  a  sieve,  which  had  been 
employed  to  straiu  them  out  of  the  wine.  lu  less  thau  three  hours  two  of  them 
began  by  degrees  to  recover  life.  They  comiuenced  by  some  convulsive  motions  of 
the  thighs,  and  at  length  they  raised  themselves  u])OU  their  legs,  wiped  their  eyes 
with  their  fore  feet,  beat  aud  brushed  their  wings  with  tlieir  hind  feet,  and  soon 
after  began  to  fly,  fiuding  themselves  in  Old  England,  without  knowing  how  they 
came  thither.  The  third  continued  lifeless  till  sunset,  then,  losing  all  hopes  of  him, 
he  was  thrown  away. 

This  experiment  was  not  lost  on  Franklin ;  he  adds: 

I  wish  it  w«re  possible,  from  this  instance,  to  invent  a  method  of  embalming 
drowned  persons  in  such  a  manner  that  they  may  be  recalled  to  life  at  any  period 
however  distant;  for,  having  a  very  urgent  desire  to  see  and  observe  the  state  of 
America  a  hundred  years  hence,  I  should  prefer  to  any  ordinary  death  the  being 
inuuersed  in  a  cask  of  Madeira  wine,  Avith  a  few  friends,  until  that  time,  to  be  then 
recalled  to  life  by  the  solar  warmth  of  my  dear  country.  But  since,  in  all  proba- 
bility, we  live  in  an  age  too  early  aud  too  near  the  infancy  of  science  to  hope  to  see 
such  an  art  brought,  in  our  time,  to  its  perfection,  I  must  for  the  i»resent  content 
myself  Avith  tlie  treat,  Avhich  you  are  so  kind  as  to  promise,  of  the  resurrection  of  a 
fowl  or  a  turkey  cock. 

In  1773  appeared  his  rules  for  reducing  a  great  empire  to  a  small 
one,  presented  to  a  late  minister,  as  is  supposed,  Lord  Ilillsboro.  In 
this  unique  article  Franklin  illustrated  his  sagacity  in  addressing  the 
public  in  order  to  reach  tlie  ministry.  Though  the  paper  has  lost  much 
of  its  point  by  the  lapse  of  time,  it  holds  its  place  in  the  first  rank  of 
American  political  satires.  It  eventually  accomplished  the  end  for 
which  it  was  written,  the  enlightenment  of  the  British  public. 


154  THE    UNIVERSITY    OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Franklin's  utilitarian  ideas  found  illustration  in  the  square  tiles 
which  jnany  Americans  will  remember  as  ornamenting  the  chimneys  in 
the  okren  time.  Franklin  thought  that  the  fireplace  was  fit  to  give 
moral  instruction.  He  advised  an  ejjgraver  in  1773  to  borrow  ^'from 
the  bookseller's  the  plates  that  had  been  used  in  a  thin  folio  called 
Moral  Virtue  ])elineated,  for  tlie  purpose  of  obtaining  the  pictorial 
illustrations."  The  Dutch  Delft  ware  tiles  were  much  used  in  America, 
"which  are  only,  or  chiefly,  Scriptural  histories^  wretchedly  scrawled. 
I  wish  to  have  these  moral  i)rints,  ^hicli  were  originally  taken  from 
Horace's  poetical  figures,  introduced  on  tiles,  which,  being  about  our 
chimneys  aud  constantly  in  the  eyes  of  children  when  by  the  fireside, 
might  give  i)arents  an  opportunity  in  explaining  to  impress  moral 
sentiments."  These  notions  of  education  might  possibly  make  the  sub- 
ject of  a  chapter  in  his  Art  of  Virtue. 

He  lost  no  opportunity  to  ujake  experiments  in  politics,  morality, 
and  natural  history.  As  an  instance  of  his  interest  in  experimenting 
to  determine  the  effect  of  oil  in  stilling  the  wg.ves  in  a  storm,  he  tells 
us,  in  a  letter  of  November  7,  1773,  to  Dr.  Brownrig,  how,  in  his  youth, 
he  had  "smiled  at  Pliny's  account  of  the  practice  among  the  seamen  of 
his  time  to  still  the  waves  in  a  storm  by  pouring  oil  into  the  sea,"  and 
recollecting  what  he  had  formerly  read  in  Pliny  he  resolved  "to  make 
some  experiments  of  the  effect  of  oil  on  water  when  I  should  have  op- 
portunity," and  after  mentioning  several  experiments,  he  records: 

After  this,  I  contrived  to  take  with  me,  whenever  I  went  into  the  country,  a  little 
oil  in  the  upper  hollow  joint  of  a  hamboo  cane,  with  which  I  might  repeat  the  ex- 
periment as  opportunity  should  afford,  and  I  find  it  constantly  to  succeed. 

Another  experiment  of  his  in  morality  was  an  abridgment  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  made  by  Lord  De  Lespencer  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Franklin.  Franklin  spent  some  time  at  the  country  residence 
of  Lord  De  Lespencer  in  1773,  and  doubtless  wrote  the  preface  to  the 
abridgment.  He  wished  to  adapt  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  to  the 
wants  of— 

Many  pious  and  devout  persona,  wliose  age  or  infirmity  will  not  suffer  them  to 
remain  for  hours  in  a  cold  church,  eHpecially  in  the  winter  season,  and  of  the  younger 
sort  who  would  proba1»ly  more  frecjuently  as  more  (jheerfuUy  attend  divine  service 
if  they  were  not  detained  so  long  at  any  one  time.  Also  many  well-disposed  trades- 
men, shopkeepers,  artificers,  and  others,  whose  habitations  are  not  remote  from 
V  churches  might  come,  and  would  more  frequently,  at  least  find  time  to  attend  divine 
service  on  other  than  Sundays  if  the  prayers  were  reduced  to  a  much  narrower  Qom- 
pass. 

The  preface  continues  somewhat  elaborately  defending  the  changes 
which  have  been  made,  but  the  abridgment  attracted  "little  notice," 
and  "the  book  became  waste  paper."  The  whole  purpose  of  the  abridg- 
ment was  in  keeping  with  Franklin's  utilitarian  ideas. 

On  the  2l8t  of  July,  1775,  Franklin  brought  forward  a  plan  for  the 
union  of  the  Colonies,  called  "  Articles  of  Confederation  and  Perpetual 
Union  proposed  in  General  Congress."    They  were  the  first  of  the  kind, 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  155 

but  there  is  no  evidence  from  the  journals  or  from  references  to  the  de 
bates  in  Congress  at  the  time  that  FrankHn's  articles  were  referred  to 
a  committee  or  generally  considered.  It  was  not  until  nearly  six  yean* 
had  passed  that  similar  articles'  were  adopted  by  the  requisite  number 
of  States.  The  second  article  is  of  interest,  as  it  contains  the  elements 
afterwards  united  in  the  Preamble  to  the  National  Constitution. 

Art.  II.  The  said  united  colonies  hereby  severally  enter  into  a  firm  leagne  of  friend- 
ship with  each  other,  binding  on  themselves  and  tlieir  posterity,  for  their  common 
defense  against  their  enemies;  for  the  security  of  their  liberties  and  properties;  the 
safety  of  their  persons  and  families,  and  their  mutual  and  general  welfare. 

The  articles  are  more  like  those  adopted  under  the  title  of  "  Articles 
of  Confederation  of  1777"  than  the  National  Constitution  of  ten  years 
later,  but  they  suggest  Franklin's  ideas  of  government,  the  applica- 
tion of  his  utilitarian  philosophy  and  the  general  democratic  basis  on 
which  he  would  found  government. 

Franklin  conceived  that  a  nation  is  permanent;  that  it  has  the  power 
of  readjusting  itself  to  new  conditions;  this  is  the  national  idea.  Of 
this  idea  Franklin  was  the  northern  exponent.  He  anticipated  Lincoln 
in  that  he  would  found  all  civil  institutions  upon  the  essential  interests 
of  the  people;  Franklin  bore  the  same  relation  to  the  colonies  in  1776 
which  Lincoln  bore  to  the  new  Union  in  1865;  each  opened  a  book  in 
American  history.  The  faith  which  Franklin  had  in  the  power  of  the 
people  to  adjflst  themselves  to  new  conditions  is  repeatedly  illustrated 
in  his  w  ritings. 

In  a  characteristic  article,  entitled  "A  Petition  of  the  Left  Hand  to 
those  who  have  the  Superinteudency  of  Education,"  written  in  1779, 
Franklin  made  a  plea  for  the  equal  training  of  the  hands.  He  thought 
that  children  should  be  taught  to  use  either  hand  with  fticility,  and  that 
the  customary  preference  given  to  the  right  hand  limited  not  only  the 
usefulness  of  the  left,  but  impeded  the  skill  of  the  individual  in  the 
many  accomplishments  of  life.  He  anticipated  Froebel  in  his  idea  of 
the  free  industrial  training  of  the  child  and  in  the  even  development 
of  all  the  functions  and  organs  of  the  body. 

Had  international  law  not  existed  prior  to  the  time  of  Franklin,  he 
would  have  originated  a  system;  his  practical  mind  sought  to  amelior- 
ate the  condition  of  mankind.  In  a  letter  from  Passy,  May  30,  1780, 
he  says: 

All  the  internal  states  of  Europe  seem  at  present  disposed  to  change  what  they 
have  before  deemed  the  law  of  nations,  to  wit:  That  an  enemy's  property  Tuay  b« 
taken  wherever  found,  and  to  establish  the  rule  that  free  ships  make  free  goods. 
This  nilT  is  itself  so  reasonable  and  of  a  nature  to  be  so  beneficial  to  mankind  that 
I  cau  not  but  wish  it  may  become  general,  and  I  make  no  doubt  but  that  the  Con- 
gress will  agree  to  it  in  as  full  an  extent  as  France  and  Spain. 

This  doctrine  that  free  ships  make  free  goods  wa&  a  favorite  one  with 
Franklin,  and  is  frequently  mentioned  by  him.  

'  See  the  text  of  the  articles,  Bigelow,  Vol.  V,  p.  548. 


156  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

On  the  5th  of  June  following  he  writes  to  Charles  W.  F.  Dumas: 

I  approve  much  of  the  priuciples  of  the  confederacy  of  the  neutral  poivers,  and 
am  not  only  for  respecting  the  ships  as  the  house  of  a  friend,  though  containing  the 
goods  of  an  enemy,  but  I  even  wish,  for  the  sake  of  humanity,  that  the  law  of  na- 
tions may  be  further  improved  by  determining  that  even  in  time  of  war  all  those 
kinds  of  people  who  are  employed  in  procuring  subsistence  for  the  species,  or  in  ex- 
changing the  necessaries  or  conveniences  of  life,  which  are  for  the  common  benefit 
of  mankind,  such  as  husbandmen  on  their  lands,  fishermen  in  their  barks,  and 
traders  in  unanned  vessels,  shall  be  permitted  to  prosecute  their  several  innocent 
and  useful  employments  without  interruption  or  molestation,  and  nothing  taken 
from  them,  even  when  wanted  by  the  enemy,  but  on  paying  a  fair  price  for  the 
same.' 

Franklin  incorporated  this  idea  in  the  last  diplomatic  act  of  his  life — 
the  treaty  with  Prussia — which  was  so  highly  commended-  by  Wash- 
ington. 

On  the  loth  of  May,  1781,  in  his  letter  to  Samuel  Cooper,  exptessing 
sentiments  on  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution  of  Massachusetts,  ^ 
he  again  illustrates  his  faith  in  the  power  of  the  people  to  adjust  them- 
selves to  new  conditions: 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  learn  that  your  new*  constitution  is  at  length  settled 
with  so  great  a  degree  of  unanimity  and  general  satisfaction.  It  seems  to  me  upon 
the  whole  an  excellent  one,  and  that  if  there  are  some  parts  that  one  might  have 
wished  a  little  different  they  are  such  as  could  not  in  the  present  state  of  things  have 
been  well  obtained  otherwise  than  they  are,  and  if  by  experience  found  inconvenient 
will  probably  be  changed  hereafter.  * 

He  disapproved  the  provision  in  the  constitution  for  public  taxation 
to  maintain  the  clergy;  did  not  think  it  right  to  tax  Quakers  and 
others  who  do  not  approve  of  the  New  England  ecclesiastical  system, 
and  advocated  that  abolition  of  religious  qualifications  which  was 
effected  in  Massachusetts  in  1820,  and  before  the  close  of  the  first  quar- 
ter of  the  present  century  had  disappeared  from  nearly  all  the  State 
constitutions.  Franklin,  like  Jefferson,  disapproved  of  both  property 
and  religious  qualifications  for  the  exercise  of  the  franchise. 

Franklin's  utilitarian  ideas  appear  on  every  page  of  his  writings. 
The  custom  in  America  of  planting  rows  of  trees  along  our  streets, 
Avliich  has  added  a  touch  of  beauty  to  our  towns,  had  the  approval  of 
Franklin,  who  said  in  a  letter  to  Francis  Hopkinson  of  Dr member  24, 
1782: 

I  own  I  now  wish  we  had  two  rows  of  them  in  every  one  of  our  streets.  The  com- 
fortable shelter  they  would  aflford  us  wlieu  walking,  from  our  burning  simimer 
suns,  and  the  greater  coolness  of  our  walls  and  pavements,  would,  I  conceive,  in  the 
improved  health  of  the  inhabitants,  amply  compensate  tlie  loss  of  a  house  now  and 
then  by  fire,  if  such  shouhl  be  the  consequence;  but  a  tree  is  soon  felled,  and  as  axes 
are  at  hand  in  every  neighborhood,  may  be  down  before  the  engines  arrive. 

It  is  noticeable  that  an  argument  now  common  for  the  planting  of 
trees,  the  additional  beauty  of  the,  street,  is  not  suggested  by  Franklin. 


'  John  Adams'  criticism  on  this  point,  p.  171. 

*  The  constitution  of  1780,  the  only  one  of  the  eighteenth-century  State  constitu- 
tiona  now  in  force  was  amended  in  1820  to  abolish  religious  qualifications. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  157 

It  probably  did  not-occur  to  him.  Seldom  indeed  does  ho  advo<iite  the 
beautiful  when  the  utilitarian  is  also  an  ar^f  ument.  He  was  somewiiat 
of  a  Philistine  in  his  notions,  and  his  (;onstant  rei)etiti«»n  of  the 
useful  and  the  beneficial  resolves  his  whole  scheme  of  education  int« 
a  broad  system,  Avhich,  though  promoting  the  general  welfare,  would 
be  none  the  less  strong  if  embellished  with  an  element  of  the  beautiful. 
To  Franklin  the  cooling  shade  of  the  tree  and  the  consequent  iniproved 
health  of  the  inhabitants  was  the  chief  reason  for  planting  the  trees 
along  our  streets,  but  we  occasionally  yearn  in  Franklin's  writings  for  a 
few  words  that  would  intimate  an  occasional  appreciation  of  a  thing 
that  was  not  merely  an  industrial  improvement  or  an  instrument  for 
material  comfort.  Franklin  was  deficient  in  the  sense  of  the  beautiful 
and  throughout  his  scheme  for  the  education  of  children,  and  in  what- 
soever intimations  of  his  ideas  of  education  there  may  be  scattered 
through  his  works,  we  can  gather  little  that  encourages  the  study  of  art 
for  art's  sake.  He  was  fond  of  music  and  was  a  discriminating  listener. 
We  should  not  forget  that  the  American  colonies  were  meagerly  sup- 
plied with  beautiful  things,  that  their  amusements  were  somewhat  rude, 
and  they  had  few  notions  of  the  artistic  in  education.  Franklin,  too, 
was  born  in  New  England,  and  theplain,  substantial  comforts  of  his  New 
England  home  always  satisfied  his  ideals  of  life.  As  be  knew  nothing 
of  the  artistic  in  his  own  training  and  education,  he  made  no  provision 
for  it  in  the  education  of  others.  We  may  say,  then,  that  in  the  whole 
eflfort  of  American  education  to  teach  the  beautiful  in  art,  music,  paint- 
ing, and  drawing  we  have  an  education  which  was  not  begun  by  Frank- 
lin. But  in  our  industrial  schools,  our  technical  schools,  our  manual- 
training  schools,  and  our  means  for  teaching  and  acquiring  skill  in  the 
applied  arts  we  have  the  consummation  of  Frankliu's  most  cherished 
notions  in  education. 

From  Bayne's  journal  we  have  a  brief  but  interesting  account  of 
Franklin's  conversation  on  a  number  of  important  matters.  John  Bayue, 
an  intimate  friend  of  Sir  Samuel  Kommilly,  visited  Franklin  at  Passy 
in  August,  1783.     It  is  of  this  visit  that  Rommily  wrote  in  his  journal: 

Of  all  the  celebrated  persons  whom  iu  my  life  I  have  chanced  to  see.  Dr.  Franklin, 
both  from  his  appearance  and  his  conversation,  seemed  to  me  the  most  remarkable, 

The  conversation  on  American  politics  led  Dr.  Franklin  to  express 
his  belief  in  universal  suffrage.  He  said  he  thought  that  "  the  all  of 
one  man  was  as  dear  to  him  as  the  allot  another  j"  though  he  excluded 
from  participation  in  the  franchise  minors,  servants,  and  others  liable 
to  uudue  influence.  We  should  not  forget  that  at  this  time  religious 
and  property  qualifications  obtained  iu  nearly  all  the  Ameri<'an  States, 
and  the  abolition  of  these  qualifications  did  not  come  until  Franklin 
had  been  dead  fifty  years.  Franklin's  love  of  mankind  led  him  U>  advo- 
cate manhood  suffrage,  and  he  stands  with  the  Jeffersonian  school, 
in  this  respect.. 

In  this  conversation  Franklin  advanced  a  favorite  notion  of  his — that 


158  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

he  inclined  "to  doubt  of  the  necessityof  having  teachers  or  ministers  for 
the  express  purpose  of  instructing  the  people  in  their  religious  duties," 
and  approved  of  the  system  among  the  Quakers,  who  have  no  preach- 
ers, their  mode  of  instruction  encouraging  all  to  i)articipate  in  the 
meeting  who  think  themselves  qualified  to  contribute  to  the  welfare  of 
their  neighbors.  . 

He  thought  that  the  general  peace  of  Europe  might  be  secured  if  the 
powers  would  "  refer  all  disputes  between  each  other  to  some  third 
person  or  set  of  men  or  power.  Other  nations,  seeing  the  advantage 
of  this,  would  gradually  accede,  and  perhaps  in  one  hundred  and  fifty 
or  two  hundred  years  all  Europe  would  be  included."  His  mind  was 
so  universal  in  its  consideration  of  the  wants  of  mankind  and  he  was 
so  accustomed  to  consider  matters  of  international  concern  that  he 
arrived  at  the  solution  of  international  difficulties — arbitration — gen- 
erations before  it  was  actually  employed.  The  humane  and  peaceful 
method  of  arriving  at  a  judgment  in  disputes  between  nations,  such 
as  has  been  witnessed  in  the  settlement  of  the  Alabama  claims,  conforms 
with  Franklin's  views  expressed  eighty-eight  years  before.  This  antici- 
pation of  the  condition  of  international  aftairs  of  the  future  suggests 
again  that  Franklin  would  have  contributed  to  the  world  a  system  of 
international  law  had  none  existed  before  his  day. 

Amidst  the  cares  of  public  office  his  mind  turned  to  the  scenes  of  his 
boyhood,  and  there  is  a  delightful  touch  of  nature  in  his  expression  of 
his  feelings  concerning  his  native  place,  expressed  in  a  letter  to  Samuel 
Mather,  written  at  Passy,  May  12, 1784 : 

Hong  much  to  see  my  native  place  and  to  lay  ray  bones  there.  I  left  it  in  1723;  I 
visited  it  in  1733,  1743,  1753,  1763.  In  1773  I  was  in  England;  in  1775  I  had  a  sight 
of  it,  bnt  could  not  enter  it,  being  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy.  I  had  hoped  to 
have  been  there  in  1783,  but  could  not  obtain  my  dismission  from  this  employment 
here,  and  now  I  fear  I  shall  never  have  that  happiness.  My  best  wishes,  however, 
attend  my  dear  country:  Esto  perpetual  It  is  now  blessed  with  an  excellent  con- 
stitntion.    May  it  last  forever. 

Few  indeed  of  New  England  birth  are  there  who  do  not  feel  with 
Franklin  a  strong  desire  at  times  to  revisit  their  native  place.  The 
wish  of  Franklin  that  the  constitution  of  his  native  place  might  be 
perpetual  seems  in  process  of  fulfillment,  for  the  constitution  of  1780, 
which  Franklin  knew,  remains  the  supreme  law  of  Massachusetts. 

The  estimate  which  we  have  placed  upon  the  work  of  Franklin  is 
quite  like  that  which  his  contemporaries  placed  upon  that  work.  On 
the  26th  of  July,  1784,  the  Count  de  Campomanes,  writing  from  Madrid, 
acknowledged  through  Mr.  Camichael,  a  letter  from  Franklin  and  a 
collection  of  his  miscellaneous  writings. 

All  these  writings  [continued  he]  exhibit  proofs  of  their  having  proceeded  from 
a  statesman  endowed   with  foresight  and   vigilant   for  the  best   interest*  of   his 
country,  according  to  the  political  combinations  and  systems  of  government  under 
which  they  were  composed;  and  they  manifest,  at  the  same  time,  founded  on  prin 
ciples  and  calculations  carried  to  as  high  a  degree  of  demonstration  as  the  vicissi- 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  159 

inde  and  inoonsistency  of  the  varibua  systems  adopted  for  the  );overnineDt  of  men 
will  admit.  Your  views  and  reflections  show  the  solidity  and  permanence  of  your 
principles,  whether  considered  as  applicable  to  the  American  colonics  in  their  for- 
mer condition,  or  in  that  of  independent  States.  In  both  cases  your  efforts  have 
been  directed  to  the  general  good,  without  rnnning  into  tht)se  extremes  which  ar»i 
apt  to  lead  astray  weak  minds  in  so  long  and  arduous  a  contest,  as  we  have  seen  in 
America,  for  the  establishment  of  a  new  State,  consisting  of  thirteen  provinces  under 
different  constitutions,  and,  at  last,  united  in  a  bond  of  union  for  the  mutual  bene- 
fit of  each  other.  Nature,  which  you  so  profoundly  studied,  is  indebted  to  you  for 
investigating  and  explaining  phenomena  which  wise  men  had  not  before  been  able  to 
understand;  and  the  great  American  philosopher,  at  the  same  time  he  discovers 
these  phenomena,  suggests  useful  methods  for  guarding  men  against  their  dangers. 

Franklin  was  fond  of  suggesting  the  future  greatness  of  America; 
its  increasing  population,  its  acquisition  of  territory,  and  the  spread  of 
the  English  language  not  only  throughout  America,  but  throughout  the 
world.  In  a  letter  to  William  Strahan,  Passy,  August  19, 1784,  he 
touches  on  this : 

By  the  way,  the  rapid  growth  and  extension  of  the  English  language  in  America 
must  become  greatly  advantageous  to  the  booksellers  and  holders  of  copyright  in 
England.  A  vast  audience  is  assembling  there  for  English  authors,  ancient,  present, 
and  future,  our  people  doubling  every  twenty  years ;  and  this  will  demand  large  and 
of  course  profitable  impressions  of  your  most  valuable  books.  I  Avould,  therefore, 
if  I  possessed  such  rights,  entail  tliem,  if  such  a  thing  be  practicable,  upon  my  pos- 
terity; for  their  worth  will  be  continually  augmenting. 

This  is  a  prophecy  of  the  circulation  of  Macaulay,  Thackeray,  Di'^kens, 
Tennyson,  and  other  writers  who  have  found  their  largest  audiences  in 
America.  The  recent  perfection  of  the  international  copyright  tends 
to  the  realization  of  Franklin's  suggestion  of  "entailing"  such  rights 
to  the  advantage  of  the  posterity  of  English  writers.  In  the  same 
letter  he  says : 

The  subject,  however,  leads  me  to  another  thought,  which  is  that  you  do  wrong  to 
discourage  the  emigration  of  Englishmen  to  America.  In  my  piece  on  population 
I  have  jwoved,  I  think,  that  emigration  does  not  diniinish,  but  multiplies  a  nation. 
You  will  not  have  fewer  at  home  for  those  that  go  abroad,  and  as  every  man  who 
comes  among  us  and  takes  up  a  piece  of  land  becomes  a  citizen,  and  by  our  Consti- 
tution has  a  voice  in  elections  and  a  share  in  the  Government  of  the  country,  why 
should  you  be  agaiust  acquiring  by  this  fair  means  a  repossession  of  it,  and  leave  it 
to  be  taken  by  foreigners  of  all  nations  and  languages,  who  by  their  numbers  may 
drown  and  stifle  the  English,  which  otherwise  would  probably  become  in  the  course 
of  two  centuries  the  most  extensive  language  in  the  world,  the  Spanish  only  excepted  f 
It  is  a  fact  that  the  Irish  emigrants  and  their  children  are  now  in  possession  of  the 
Government  of  Pennsylvania  by  their  majority  in  the  Assembly,  as  well  ns  of  a  great 
part  of  the  territQry,  and  I  remember  well  the  first  ship  that  brought  any  of  them 
over. 

The  present  agitation  of  the  question  of  immigration,  based  upon  the 
danger  to  American  institutions  of  stifling  their  Anglo-Saxon  charac- 
ter, suggests  how  true  was  Franklin's  anticipation.  It  is  also  true  that 
the  occupation  of  Central  and  South  America  by  Spain  made  the  Spanish 
language  one  of  the  imperial  languages  of  the  worhl,  and  that  Spanish 
and  English,  a  century  after  Franklin  wrote  this  letter,  are  the  two 


160  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

most  extensive  langjuages  in  the  new  world.  These  wise  judgments  of 
Franklin  were  based  upon  intuition,  rather  than  upon  reason,  for  many 
of  the  elements  which  would  enter  into  such  a  conclusion  were  beyond 
the  view  of  Franklin.  We  should  not  forget  that  facilities  for  acquiring 
the  almost  innumerable  data  which  lead  to  such  conclusions  were  greatly 
limited  in  liis  time,  and  the  comprehensive  character  of  h^s  mental  opera- 
tions becomes  the  more  remarkable  when  we  reflect  upon  the  limitations 
under  which  such  operations  proceeded.  As  a  case  in  point,  we  might 
refer  to  Mr.  Bryce's  American  Commonwealth,  a  remarkable  book,  i)ro- 
duced  by  a  scholarly  and  sympathizing  Englishman,  whose  intuitions 
equipped  him  to  describe  xVmericau  institutions,  but  whose  reasons  for 
the  character  of  our  institutions  are  frequently  defective.  There  must 
be  in  Franklin's  philosophy  a  dependence  upon  the  intuitions  rather 
than  a  scheme  for  the  enlargement  of  the  reasoning  powers;  he  ob- 
served, he  felt,  he  knew ;  speculation  attracted  him  but  little,  and  he 
judged  of  the  utilities  almost  wholly  by  intuition. 

After  the  war  it  was  realized  by  thoughtful  Americans  that  the  Arti- 
cles of  Confederation  were  defective,  and  that  a  Isational  Constitution 
was  necessary.  I  can  not  follow  minutely  the  thoughts  and  the  work 
of  Franklin  for  the  National  Constitution,  but  there  are  several  passages 
in  his  writings  which  illustrate  his  views.  Writing  to  George  Whate- 
ley,  from  Passy,  May  23,  1785,  he  says : 

Our  Constitution  seems  not  to  be  well  understood  with  you.  If  the  Congress 
were  a  permanent  body,  there  would  be  more  reason  in  being  jealous  of  giving  it 
powers.  But  its  members  are  chosen  annually;  can  not  be  chosen  more  than  three 
years  successively,  nor  more  than  three  years  in  seven ;  and  any  of  them  may  be 
recalled  at  any  time,  whenever  their  constituents  shall  be  dissatisfied  with  their 
conduct.  They  are  of  the  people,  and  return  again  to  mix  with  the  people,  having 
no  more  durable  preeminence  than  the  diflferent  grains  of  sand  in  an  hourglass. 
Such  an  assembly  can  not  easily  become  dangerous  to  liberty.  They  are  the  serv- 
ants of  the  people,  sent  together  to  do  the  people's  }»usiness,  and  promote  the  pub- 
lic welfare;  their  powers  must  be  sufficient,  or  their  duties  can  not  be  performed. 

He  did  not  value  highly  the  mere  forms  of  government,  and  his  keen 
recognition  of  the  essential  importance  of  administration,  rather  than 
elaborate  statements  of  the  theory  of  government,  is  repeatedly  set 
forth  from  this  time  on.  Destined  himself  to  participate  in  the  making 
of  the  National  Constitution,  it  is  interesting  to  follow  the  communica- 
tion of  his  own  ideas,  gained  through  his  long  and  useful  public  life. 
1  think  I  interpret  him  correctly  when  I  say  that  he  valued  a  useful 
administration  of  government  more  highly  than  a  good  form  of  govern- 
ment badly  administered.'  Perhaps  Franklin  displays  the  greatness 
of  his  practical  judgment  nowhere  more  instructively  than  in  his  ap- 
preciation of  the  imi)()rtance  of  administration  of  government.  The 
eighteenth  century  i)roduced  many  eminent  men  who  contributed  to 


'  See  his  last  speech  in  the  convention  of  1787,  in  which  he  says :  "  I  think  a  gen- 
eral government  necessary  for  us,  and  there  is  no  form  of  government  but  what  may 
be  a  blessing  to  the  people  if  well  administered."     P.  13,  supra. 


FRANKLINS   IDEAS   IN   EDUCATION.  161 

our  knowledge  of  the  theory  of  government,  but  it  produ(;e<l  very  few 
men  who  were  able  to  set  forth  the  principleH  by  which  government 
should  be  administered.  In  this  respect  Franklin  stands  almost  alone, 
perhaps  with  the  exception  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  quite  alone.  Each 
of  these  eminent  men  foresaw  the  great  problem  of  our  century,  th«* 
problem  of  the  administration  of  government.  We  no  longer  debate, 
as  did  the  Junto  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  the  theoretical  abstrac- 
tions of  government,  but  our  practical  affairs  are  administrative  in 
their  nature,  and  Franklin  illustrates  the  perennial  freshness  of  his 
mind  and  its  modern  character  in  his  emphasis  of  the  importance  of 
the  administration  of  affairs.  He  was  as  much  a  citizen  of  to-day  as 
one  of  us. 

Perhaps  in  further  illustration  of  the  modern  character  of  his  mind 
I  might  refer  again,  in  passing,  to  his  opinions  regarding  the  inclusion 
of  Canada  with  the  thirteen  colonies  in  the  treaty  of  1783.  For  many 
years  he  had  advocated  the  united  interests  of  the  thirteen  colonies, 
and  he  continued  this  advocacy  through  life.  Had  he  not  been  pros- 
trated by  a  sudden  attack  of  the  gout,  and  had  his  colleagues  possessed 
his  clear  insight  into  the  fnture,  without  doubt  the  United  States  would 
now  include  Canada. 

In  1785  he  returned  to  America  and  was  greeted  by  the  Assembly  of 
Pennsylvania  as  ''a  person  who  was  so  greatly  instrumental  informing 
its  free  constitution."^  He  was  also  welcomed  in  a  formal  address  by 
the  Provost,  Vice-Provost,  and  Professors  of  the  University.* 

The  welcome  of  the  University  is  evidence  of  the  profound  interest 
which  Franklin  took  in  education,  and  of  the  recognition  of  his  serv- 
ices to  education  in  Pennsylvania. 

As  the  weakness  of  the  Confederation  disclosed  itself,  suggestions 
for  a  "  more  perfect  union  "  became  frequent  from  the  eminent  men  of 
the  country.  In  writing  to  his  beloved  friend,  Dr.  Shipley,  Bishop  of 
StT  Avsaph,  February  24,  1786,  Franklin  says: 

You  seem  desirous  of  knowing  what  progress  we  are  making  here  iu  improving 
our  government.  We  are,  I  think,  in  the  right  road  rif  improvemont,  for  we  are 
making  exporimentn.  I  do  not  oppose  all  that  seem  wrong,  for  the  multitude  are 
more  eifectually  set  right  by  experience  than  kept  from  going  wrong  hy  reasoning 
with  them.  And  I  think  we  are  daily  more  and  more  enlightened,  so  that  I  have  no 
doubt  of  our  obtaining  in  a  few  years  as  much  public  felicity  as  good  government  is 
capable  of  affording.  Your  newspapers  are  filled  with  fictitious  accounts  of  anarchy, 
confusion,  distresses,  and  miseries  we  are.  supposed  to  be  involve«l  iu,  as  conse- 
quences of  the  Revolution;  and  the  few  remaining  friends  of  the  old  government 
among  us  take  pains  to  magnify  every  little  inconvenience  a  change  in  the  course  of 
commerce  may  have  occasioned. 

Franklin's  calm  remark  at  a  time  when  the  Confederation  was  greatly 
in  danger  by  such  commotions  as  Shay's  Relwllion,  that  "  we  are  mak- 
ing experiments,"  recalls  Jefferson's  opinion  of  that  insurrection: 

'  See  the  address  of  the  Assembly,  Bigelow,  Vol.  IX,  p.  248. 
•  '  See  p.  110. 

1180—11 


162  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

ConimotionB  oft'er  nothing  threatening;  they  aro  a  proof  that  the  people  have  lib- 
erty enough,  and  I  coulcl  not  wish  them  less  than  they  have.  If  the  happiness  of 
the  mass  of  the  people  can  be  seciind  by  the  occasional  expense  of  a  little  temjier 
now  and  then,  or  even  of  a  little  blood,  it  will  be  a  precions  purchase. 

To  punish  these  errors  too  severely  would  be  to  suppress  the  only  safeguard  of  the 
public  liberty. 

A  little  rebellion  now  and  then  is  a  good  thing.  ,*  *  *  An  observation  of  this 
truth  shonld  render  honest  repul)lican  governors  so  mild  in  their  punishment  of  re- 
bellions as  not  to  discourage  them  too  much.  It  is  a  medicine  nece«s.iry  fur  the 
sound  health  of  government. 

Thus  I  calculate  an  insurrection  in  one  of  the  thirteen  States  in  the  course  of 
eleven  years  *  »  *  amounts  to  one  in  any  particular  State  in  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  years,  say  a  century  and  a  half.  This  would  not  be  near  as  many  as  have 
happened  in  any  prior  government  that  has  ever  existed ;  so  that  we  shall  have  the 
difference  between  a  light  and  a  heavy  gavernment  as  clear  gain. 

Can  history  produce  a  history  of  a  rebellion  so  honorably  conducted  *  »  » 
God  forbid  that  we  should  ever  be  twenty  years  without  such  a  rebellion  *  *  » 
What  signifies  a  few  lives  lost  in  a  century  or  two?  The  tree  of  liberty  must  be 
refreshed  from  time  to  time  with  the  blood  of  patriots  and  tyrants.  It  is  its  natural 
manure. 

Franklin  wrote  to  Dr.  Shipley  before  Shay's  Eebelliou;  Jefi'erson 
writes  after  it.  The  different  view  which  each  takes  of  that  most  threat- 
ening uprising  illustrates  quite  perfectly  the  difference  between  the 
two  men  in  their  opinions  of  government.  It  is  in  this  letter  to  Dr. 
Shipley  that  Franklin,  in  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  Paley's  Moral 
Philosophy,  says: 

The  new  book  you  gave  me  *  »•  »  I  think  generally  well  written  and  likely  to 
do  good;  though  the  reading  time  of  most  people  is  of  late  so  taken  up  with  news- 
papers an<l  little  periodical  pamphlets,  that  few  nowadays  venture  to  attempt  read- 
ing a  qnart^)  volume.  I  have  adu)ireil  to  see  that,  in  thelast  century,  a  folio,  "  Bur- 
ton on  Melancholy,"  went  through  six  editions  in  aliout  twenty  years.  We  have,  I 
believe,  more  readers  now,  but  not  of  such  large  books.' 

Franklin  anticipat^id  the  days  of  the  modern  newspaper,  and  of  little 
Iwoks,  compendious,  comprehensive,  and  entertaining.  It  will  be  re- 
jnembered  that  he  advocated  giving  "  little  books  with  gilt  edges  and 
red  covers"  as  prizes  to.  the  children  in  his  English  school. 

In  the  same  letter  he  speaks  of  death : 

This  I  shall  submit  to  with  less  regret,  as,  having  seen  during  a  long  life  a  good 
deal  of  this  world,  I  feel  a  growing  curiosity  to  be  acquainted  with  some  other;  and 
can  cheerfully,  with  tilial  confidence,  resign  my  spirit  to  the  conduct  of  that  great 
an«l  good  Parent  of  mankind  who  created  it,  and  who  has  so  graciously  protected 
and  prospered  me  from  my  birth  to  the  present  hour. 

Having  largely  exhausted  the  resources  of  this  world  he  was  desirous 
of  experimenting  in  another,  and  without  doubt  he  desired  no  other 
immortality  than  thecontiiuiation  of  the  life  which  he  had  lived  in  this 
world,  attaining  moral  perfection,  observing  phenomena,  and  registering 
his  conclusions  concerning  them,  and  contributing  as  far  as  possible  to 
the  general  welfare  of  the  inhabitants  of  another  world. 


'For  his  letter  at  the  time  to  the  Duke  de  la  Rochefoucauld,  April  15,   1787,  see 
Bigelow,  Vol.  IX,  p.  368. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  163 

While  Franklin's  mind  turned  (o  the  njysteries  ever  w  ith  curiosity  he 
found  congenial  employment  in  some  of  the  jiractical  interests  of  this 
world.  On  the  8th  of  the  following  April  he  Jickiiowledges  in  a  letter 
to  his  sister  the  receipt  of  a  box  of  soaj) — 

The  substance  of  which  appears  to  be  very  good,  but  its  consistence  had  probably 
been  affected  by  the  frost,  for  unless  very  tenderly  jiud  <  autionsly  liandled.  »he 
cakes  would  crumble  into  little  pieces  between  one's  lingers.  However,  having  an 
opportunity  of  seeding  some  to  my  friends  in  France,  who  much  admired  wliat  I 
had  of  you  formerly,  I  with  much  difficulty  took  out  twenty-two  cakes,  which  I 
wrapped  separately  in  spongy  paper,  hoping  tliat,  as  they  dried,  they  might  consoli- 
date, and  the  infinite  number  of  little  cracks  that  appeared  in  tiiem  be  closed  and 
the  parts  again  united,  and  so  I  sent  them  away  in  Tt  small  box. 

The  attention  which  lie  gives  to  his  sister's  imperfect  soap  suggest-s 
that  he  was  still  the  son  of  the  tallow  chandler,  and  kindly  regardful 
of  the  practical  concerns  of  his  beloved  sister,  for  he  concludes  his 
letter: 

Draw  upon  me  for  the  expense  of  the  soap,  and  your  bill  shall  be  paid  on  sight. 

It  was  in  the  year  1786  that  the  people  who  ha<l  crossed  over  the 
mountains  and  settled  in  the  country  now  called  Tennessee,  gave  to 
their  new  commonwealth  the  iiame  of  Franklin.  The  name  of  the  new 
country  for  a  few  years  was  Franklin  or  Frankland,  and  it  is  an  evi- 
dence of  the  affection  in  which  Dr.  Franklin  was  held  by  his  country- 
men, who  have  given  his  name  to  many  counties,  towns,  and  public  in 
stitutions.' 

It  was  in  1780  that  the  celebrated  letter  to  Thomas  Paine  was  written, 
in  which  Franklin  advises  him  that  should  he  publish  his  Age  of  Rea- 
son, whose  reasons  were  subtle  and  might  prevail  with  some  readers 
but  would  not  succeed  in  changing  the  general  sentiments  of  mankind, 
and  the  consequence  of  printing  the  jiiece  would  be  that  a  great  deal 
of  odium  would  be  drawn  upon  its  author  and  no  one  would  be  bene- 
fited: "He  that  spits  against  the  wind,  spits  in  his  own  face."' 

The  correspondence  of  the  closing  years  of  Franklin's  life  abounds 
in  references  to  religious  matters  and  illustrates  the  public  interest 
that  was  taken  in  Franklin's  own  religious  views. 

He  was  elected  in  1787  a  delegate  to  the  convention  which  revi.sed  the 
old  Confederation  and  proposed  a  better  Constitution;  but  he  .said  that 
though  he  was  to  be  one  in  that  business  he  doubted  whether  his  raal 
ady  would  permit  him  giving  constant  attention.    There  is  evidence 
that  he  was  present  at  the  meetings  of  the  convention  except  on  the 


'According  to  the  census  of  1890  there  were  in  the  ITnited  ."States  twenty-four 
Franklin  counties,  thirty-three  towns  called  Franklin,  one  Franklin  City,  one  Frank- 
lin Corners,  one  Franklin  Cross  Roads,  one  Frauklindale,  one  Franklin  Depot,  one 
Franklin  Falls,  two  Franklin  Furnaces,  one  Franklin  Forks,  one  Franklin  Grove, 
one  Franklin  iron  Works,  two  Fraul-liii  Mills,  me  Franklin«  Mills,  two  Fmnklin 
Parks,  one  Franklin  Square,  two  Franklin  .*■  tations.  four  Franklinttms,  one  Frank- 
lintown,  six  Franklinvilles,  and  one  irankland. 

«See  letter  of  June  15,  1786^  Bigelow  IX,  p.  318.    Also  April  9,  1787,  idem,  p.  36L 


164  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

occasion  of  the  opening  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College.  His  malady 
prevented  him  frequently  from  walking,  but  he  struggled  against  the 
disease  and  took  as  much  exercise  as  i)ossible.  He  was  afterwards 
able  to  say  in  a  letter  to  his  sister,  September  20.  1787: 

The  convention  finished  the  17th  instant.  I  attended  the  business  of  it  five  hours 
in  every  day  from  the  beginning,  which  is  something  more  than  four  months.  You 
may  judge  from  thence  that  my  health  continues;  some  tell  me  I  look  better,  and 
they  suppose  the  daily  exercise  of  going  and  returning  from  the  Statehoase  has 
done  me  good. 

This  reference  to  his  health  and  of  his  going  and  returning  from  the 
Statehouse  is  the  best  evic^jence  we  have  of  the  place  where  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  was  made.^ 

His  work  in  the  Convention  was  important,  and  his  correspondence 
during  the  time  is  interesting.    To  Jefferson  he  wrote,  April  19,  1787: 

Our  Federal  Constitution  is  generally  thought  defective,  and  a  convention,  first 
proposed  by  Virginia,  and  since  recommended  by  Congress,  is  to  assemble  here  next 
month,  to  revise  it  and  propose  amendments.  The  delegates  generally  appointed,  as 
far  as  I  have  heard  of  them,  are  men  of  character  for  prudence  and  ability,  so  that  I 
hope  good  from  their  meeting.  Indeed,-  if  it  does  not  do  good  it  must  do  harm,  as  it 
will  show  that  wo  have  not  wisdom  enough  among  us  to  govern  ourselves ;  and  will 
strengthen  the  opinion  of  some  political  writers'  that  popular  governments  can  not 
long  support  themselves. 

I  can  not  speak  in  detail  of  Franklin's  services  in  the  Convention; 
they  were  not  inferior  in  importance  to  any  of  his  associates.  The 
character  of  his  suggestions  might  be  anticipated  from  the  experience 
of  his  life;  he  sought  to  harmonize  the  differences  between  the  States, 
and  he  applied  to  tlie  i)roblem  before  the  Convention  the  principles 
worked  out  in  his  diplomatic  experience.  His  opinions  were  that  ca<?h 
State  should  have  equal  sufl"rage,  which  should  be  in  proportion  to  the 
sums  actually  contributed  by  the  respective  States  to  the  National 
Treasury  from  taxes  or  internal  excise  in  the  States.  Franklin's  pre- 
dominant idea  was  equality  of  representation;  his  object  was  to  pro- 
mote the  general  welfare  by  the  maintenance  of  such  equality,  which 
was  secured  by  the  double  system  of  representation  in  the  Senate  and 
the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  forming  of  it  (the  Constitution)  so  as  to  accouinnxlalt^  all  tlie  difiereut  inter- 
est* and  views  was  a  difficult  task;  and,  perhaps,  after  all,  it  may  not  be  received 
with  the  same  unanimity  in  the  different  States  thsit  the  Convention  has  given  an  ex- 
ample of  in  delivering  it  out  for  their  consideration.  We  have  done  our  best  and  it 
must  take  its  chances. 

This  sentiment  illustrates  Franklin's  opinion  that  a  union  is  perma- 
nent, as  it  has  the  power  of  readjusting  itself  to  the  conditions.  This, 
as  we  have  said,  is  the  National  idea,  and  Franklin  is  the  chief  north- 
ern type  of  the  exposition  of  this  idea  in  the  eighteenth  century. 

Franklin's  influence  in  the  Convention  won  the  general  signature  to 
the  Constitution  at  last;  the  speech  which  he  delivered  on  that  occa- 


'The  old  Statehoase  on  Chestnut  street,  below  Sixth  street,  Philadelphia. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  165 

sion  we  have  ulieady  quoted.^  We  know  that  the  Coiiveiiti<iii  wjis 
frequently  inharmonious,  and  there  were  serious  threatenings  of  the 
I)ermanent  interruption  of  its  proceedings;  it  was  in  recognition  of  the 
danger  of  such  a  calamity  that  Franklin  made  his  celebrated  motion — 

That  henceforth  prayers,  imploring  the  assistance  of  lieaven  and  its  hlcHsings  on 
our  deliberations,  be  held  in  this  assembly  every  nioriiing  before  we  proceed  to  bu«i- 
ness;  and  that  one  or  more  of  the  clergy  of  this  city  be  reque8t«'d  t<>ofticiat«5  in  that 
service.  * 

The  Convention,  however,  except  three  or  four  persons,  thought  prayer 
unnecessary.     It  was  in  oflering  this  motion  that  Franklin  said: 

III  this  situation  of  this  assembly,  groping,  as  it  were,  in  the  dark  to  find  political 
truth,  and  scarce  able  to  distinguish  it  when  presented  to  us,  how  has  it  hapjiened, 
sir,  that  we  have  not  hitherto  once  thought  of  humbly  ap2)lyiug  to  the  I'ather  of 
Lights  to  illuminate  our  understandings?  In  the  beginning  of  the  contest  with 
Britain,  when  we  were  sensible  of  danger,  Ave  had  daily  prayers  in  this  room  for  the 
DiA'ine  protection.  Our  prayers,  sir,  were  heard,  and  they  were  graciously  answered. 
All  of  us  who  were  engaged  in  the  struggle  must  have  observed  frecjuent  instances  of 
a  superintending  Providence  in  our  favor.  To  that  kind  Providence  we  owe  this 
happy  opportunity  of  consulting  iu  i)ea<'e  on  the  means  of  establishing  our  future 
national  felicity.  And  have  we  now  forgotten  that  jiowerful  Friend,  or  do  we  im- 
agine we  no  longer  need  its  assistance?  I  have  lived,  sir,  a  long  time,  and  the  longer 
I  live  the  more  convincing  proofs  I  see  of  this  truth,  that  (lod  governs  in  the  affairs  of 
men.  And  if  a  sparrow  can  not  fall  to  the  ground  without  His  notice,  is  it  probable 
that  an  empire  can  rise  without  His  aid?  We  have  been  assuBcd,  sir,  in  tJie  sacred 
writings  that  "except  the  Lord  build  the  house,  they  labor  in  vf^iu  that  build  it." 
I  firmly  believe  this,  and  I  also  believe  that  without  His  concurring  aid  we  shall 
succeed  in  this  political  building  no  better  than  the  builders  of  Babel;  we  shall  be 
divided  by  our  little,  partial,  local  interests;  our  projects  will  be  confounded,  and 
we,  ourselves,  shall  become  a  reproach  and  a  by-word  down  to  future  ages.  And, 
what  is  worse,  mankind  niay  heieafter,  from  this  unfortunate  instance,  despair  of 
establishing  government  by  human  wisdom  and  leave  it  to  chance,  war,  and  conquest. 

Franklin's  comments,  in  his  letters  to  his  friends,  on  the  adoption  of 
the  Constitution,  emphasize  majiy  of  his  opinions  ab'eady  known  to  us. 
To  Mr.  M.  Le  Veillard,  February  17,  1788: 

I  sent  you,  with  my  lafejt,  a  copy  of  the  new  Constitntion  proposed  for  the  United 
States  by  the  late  General  Convention.  I  sent  one  also  to  our  excellent  friend,  the 
Duke  de  la  Rochefoucauld.  I  attended  the  business  of  the  Convention  faithfully  for 
four  months.  Inclosed  you  have  the  last  speech  I  made  in  it.  Six  States  have  already 
adopted  the  Constitution,  and  there  is  now  little  doubt  of  its  being  accepted  by  a 
sufficient  number  to  carry  it  into  execution,  if  not  immediately,  by  the  whole.  It  has, 
however,  met  with  great  opposition  in  some  States,  for  we  are  at  present  a  nation  of 
politicians.  And  though  there  is  a  general  dread  of  giving  too  much  power  to  our 
governors,  I  think  we  are  more  in  danger  from  too  little  obedience  in  the  governed. 
We  shall,  as  you  suppose,  have  imposts  on  trade  and  custom-houses,  not  l>ecauae 
other  nations  have  them,  but  because  we  can  not  at  present  do  without  them.  We 
want  to  discharge  our  public  debt  occasioned  by  the  late  war.  Direct  taxes  are  not 
so  easily  levied  on  the  scantily  settled  inhabitants  of  our  wide-extended  country; 
and  what  is  paid  in  the  price  of  merchandise  is  felt  less  by  the  consumer,  and  leea 
the  cause  of  complaint.  When  we  are  out  of  debt  we  may  leave  our  trade  free,  for 
our  ordinary  charges  of  government  will  not  be  great.  > 

1  Page  13. 


166  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

To  M.  Dupont  de  Nemours  on  tlu-  Utii  of  June  lie  wrote  ehuracteris- 
tieally:  "But  Ave  must  not  exj>ect  that  a  new  government  may  be 
formed,  as  a  game  of  cliess  may  be  i)layed  by  a  skillful  hand,  without 
a  fault;"  and  lie  proceeded  to  illustrat<^  his  favorite  idea  that  experi- 
ence would  determine  the  true  com^se  of  the  new  government. 

As  Franklin  aged  he  became  somewhat  optimistical,  an  unusual 
thing  with  an  aged  person,  and  perhaps  gave  the  fullest  exiiressinn  to 
his  ojitimism  in  a  letter  to  M.  Le  Veillard,  June  8,  1788: 

Thank  God,  the  world  is  growing  wiser  and  wiser;  and  as  by  degrees  men  are 
convinf-ed  of  tbe  follj-  of  wars  for  religion,  for  dominion,  or  for  oommerce  they  will 
be  happier  and  bapjjier.  ' 

Though  over  80  jears  of  age  he  continued  to  take  interest  in  all  the 
afiairs  of  mankind,  and  the  writings  of  his  closing  j^ears  manifest  no 
decay  of  his  mental  powers.  Some  of  his  most  perfect  papers,  in  point 
of  style  and  comprehension  of  treatment,  Avere  Avritten  in  the  last  two 
years  of  his  life.  He  saw  improvement  and  encouragement  everywhere. 
In  his  pamphlet  on  the  Internal  State  of  America,  1788,  he  says: 

It  is  true  that  in  some  of  tbe  States  there  are  parties  and  discords,  but  let  us  look 
back  and  ask  if  we  Avere  CA'er  Asitbout  them.  Sucb  Avill  exist  Avberever  there 
is  liberty,  and  perhaps  they  help  to  preserve  it.  By  tbe  collision  of  diflferent  senti- 
ments sparks  of  trutii  are  struck  out  and  political  light  is  obtained.  The  different 
factions  Avbicb  at  present  divide  us  aim  all  at  the  public  good;  tbe  differences  are 
only  about  the  Tarious  modes  of  promoting  it.  *  *  *  Parties  are  therefore  the 
counuon  lot  of  bum.initj-,  and  ours  are  by  no  means  more  mischievous  or  less  bene- 
ficial than  those  of  other  countries,  nations,  and  ages  enjoying  in  the  same  degree 
tbe  great  blessing  of  political  liberty. 

This  Avas  written  when  the  bitterness  of  jjarty  feeling  was  more  in 
tense  than  it  has  ever  been  since  in  our  history. 

Whoever  has  traveled  [he  abso  remarks]  through  the  various  parts  of  Europe  and 
observed  bow  small  is  the  proportion  of  people  in  affluence  or  easj'  circumstances 
there  compared  with  those  in  jiovcrty  and  misery ;  the  fcAv  rich  and  haughtj'  land- 
lords, the  multitude  of  poor,  abject,  rack-rented,  tithe-paying  tenants  and  half- 
paid  and  half-starved,  ragged  laborers,  and  a'icavs  here  the  happy  mediocrity  that 
so  generally  prcA'ails  throughout  these  States  where  tbe  cultivator  works  for  him- 
self and  supports  his  family  in  decent  plenty,  A\'ill,  metbinks,  see  abundant  reason 
to  bless  divine  Providence  for  the  evident  and  great  difference  in  our  favor  and  be 
convinced  that  no  nation  known  to  us  enjoys  a  greater  share  of  human  felicity. 

This  optimistic  A'ieAv  of  America  is  characteristic  of  the  times  and 
probably  expresses  the  oi>inion  which  the  American  people  have  of 
their  country  at  the  present  time. 

In  his  paper  on  the  l*rospe(;t  for  Emigrants  to  America  he  says: 

No  rewards  are  given  to  encourage  new  settlers  to  come  among  us,  whatever  de- 
gree of  ])roperty  they  may  bring  Avith  them  nor  any  exemption  from  common  du- 
ties. Our  country  offers  to  strangers  nothing  but  a  good  climate,  fertile  soil,  whole- 
some air,  free  goA'emments,  wise  laws,  liberty,  a  good  people  to  live  among,  and  a 
heart}' Av  el  come.  Tbo.se  Europeans  who  have  these  oi*  greater  advantages  at  home 
•would  do  well  to  stay  there. 

This  paragraph  might  be  epitomized  in  saying  that  a  man's  country 
is  where  he  is  best  oflfj   a  saying  to  which  Franklin  Avould  doubtless 
.give  his  approval. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  167 

Fraukliu  bad  long  been  in  favor  of  the  abolition  of  slavery  and  about, 
his  closing  years  gathers  the  halo  of  the  light  which  shines  from  his 
writings  on  behalf  of  the  slave.  His  plan  for  the  improvement  of  the 
African  race  is  outlined  in  a  letter  to  Washington  somewhat  in  the 
form  of  a  report. 

First.  A  Committee  of  Inspection  sbonld  superintend  tb«  morals,  general  contliict, 
and  ordinary  situation  of  free  negroes  to  furnish  them  advice  and  instructiou,  pro- 
tection from  wrongs,  and  other  friendly  offices.  / 

Second.  A  Committee  of  Guardians  shouhl  place  out  children  and  young  people 
with  suitable  persons  that  they  might  during  a  moderate  term  of  apprenticeship  or 
servitude  learn  some  trade  or  other  business  for  subsistence.  In  forming  contracts 
on  these  occasions  the  Committee  should  secure  to  the  Society,  as  far  as  pr.icticable, 
the  right  of  guardianship  over  persons  so  bound. 

Third.  A  Committee  of  Education  should  superintend  the  school  instmction  of 
the  cliildren  of  the  free  blacks;  they  might  either  influence  tliem  to  attend  regu- 
larly the  schools  already  established  or  form  others  with  this  view;  they  should  in 
other  cases  provide  that  the  pupils  might  receive  such  learning  as  is  necessary  for 
their  future  situation  in  life,  and  especially  a  deep  impression  of  the  most  impor- 
tant and  generally  acknowledged  moral  and  religious  principles. 

Fourth.  A  Committee  of  Employ  should  ^endeavor  to  procure  constant  employ- 
ment for  those  free  negroes  who  were  ■  able  to  work,  as  the  want  of  this  would 
occasion  povert.v,  idleness,  and  many  vicious  habits. 

And  he  incoriiorated  in  this  part  of  his  plan  the  same  notions  which 
he  had  already  expressed  in  his  plan  for  the  management  of  the  orphan 
schoolhouses.  That  the  ('ommittee  in  providing  employment  for  those 
qualified  to  take  it  should  prevail  upon  the  apprentices  to  bind  them- 
selves for  such  a  term  of  years  as  might  compensate  their  masters  for 
the  expense  and  trouble  of  their  instruction  and  maintenance.  Useful 
and  simple  manufactures,  such  as  require  but  little  skill,  should  be  en- 
tered upon  as  a  substantial  means  of  assisting  those  who  were  qualified 
to  commence  business  for  themselves.  The  expen.se  incident  to  the 
prosecution  of  this  plan  was  to  be  defrayed  by  a  fund  formed  by  dona- 
tions or  subscriptions  for  the  particular  purpose. 

Perhaps  no  more  interesting  letter  is  found  in  the  correspondence  of 
this  part  of  Franklin's  life  than  his  communication  to  Noah  Webster, 
December  1*0,  1789,  acknowledging  a  copy  of  Webster's  Dissertations 
on  the  English  Language.  Franklin  ])ronounced  it  "  an  excellent 
work,"  one  that  ''  will  be  greatly  useful  in  turning  the  thoughts  of  cmr 
countrymen  to  correct  writing."  After  commenting  upon  some  new 
words  that  had  come  into  the  language  .since  1723,  he  says: 

The  Latin  language,  long  the  vehicle  used  in  distributing  knowledge  among  the 
ditterent  nations  of  Europe,  is  daily  more  and  more  neglected,  and  one  of  the  modern 
tongues,  namely,  the  French,  seems  in  point  of  universality  to  have  supplied  its 
place.  It  is  spoken  in  all  the  courts  of  Europe,  nnd  most  of  the  literali,  those  even 
who  do  not  speak  it,  have  acquired  knowledge  enough  of  it  to  enable  them  easily  to 
reiul  the  books  that  are  written  in  it.  This  gives  a  considerable  advantage  to  that 
nation ;  it  enables  its  authors  to  inculcate  and  spread  throughout  other  nations  such 
sentiments  and  opinions  on  important  points  as  are  most  conducive  to  its  interests, 
or  which  may  contribute  to  its  reputation  by  promoting  the  common  interests  of 
mankind  It  is  perhaps  owihg  to  its  being  written  in  French,  that  Voltaire's  treatise 
on  Toleration  has  had  so  sudden  and  so  great  an  efifect  on  the  bigotry  of  Eurojw  as 


168  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

almost  entirely  to  disarm  it.  The  general  nse  of  the  French  language  has  likewise 
a  very  advantageous  effect  on  the  profits  of  the  bookselling  branch  of  commerce,  it 
being  well  known  that  the  more  copies  can  be  sold  that  are  struck  off  from  one  com- 
position of  types,  the  profits  increase  in  a  much  greater  proportion  than  they  do  in 
making  a  great  number  of  pieces  in  any  other  kind  of  manufacture.  And  at  present 
there  is  no  capital  town  in  Europe  without  a  French  bookseller's  shop  corresponding 
with  Paris. 

But  FraDklin  not  only  discerns  the  universality  of  the  French  tongue, 
he  anticipates  again  the  growing  universality  of  the  English: 

Our  English  bids  fair  to  obtain  the  second  place.  The  great  body  of  excellent 
printed  sermons  in  our  language,  and  the  freedom  of  our  writings  on  political  sub- 
jects, have  induced  a  number  of  divines  of  different  sects  and  nations,  as  well  as 
gentlemen  concerned  in  public  affairs,  to  study  it;  so  far,  at  least,  as  to  read  it. 
And  if  we  were  to  endeavor  the  facilitating  its  progress,  the  study  of  our  tongue 
might  become  much  more  general.  Those  who  have  employed  some  parts  of  their 
time  in  learning  a  new  language  have  frequently  observed  that,  while  their  ac- 
quaintance with  it  was  imperfect,  difficulties  small  iu  tliemselves  operated  as  great 
ones  in  obstructing  their  progress.  A  book,  for  example,  ill  printed  or  a  pronunci- 
ation in  speaking  not  well  articulated  would  render  a  sentence  unintelligible 
which  from  a  clear  print  or  a  distinct  speaker  would  have  been  immediately  com- 
prehended. If,  therefore,  we  would  have  the  benefit  of  seeing  our  language  more 
generally  known  among  mankind  we  should  endeavor  to  remove  all  the  difficulties, 
however  small,  that  discourage  the  learning  it. 

He  concluded  his  letter  to  Webster  by  remarking  that  the  spelling 
book  which  Webster  had  sent  him  was  miserably  printed  and  on 
wretched  paper. 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  this  spelling  book,  the  most  famous  of 
its  kind  ever  made,  and  which  in  our  day  is  used  annually,  it  is  said, 
to  the  number  of  more  than  a  million  copies,  was  approved  by  Frank- 
lin. His  appeal  for  the  English  language  in  his  letter  to  Webster  was 
his  last  word  on  education.  He  ended  as  he  began,  with  encouraging 
the  study  of  his  native  language  and  literature.  The  empire  of  that 
language  and  that  literature  which  he  foresaw  is  realized  in  our  day. 

By  his  will  he  provided  for  the  disposition  of  his  books  to  the  Philo- 
soi)hical  Society  of  Philadelphia  and  to  the  A.merican  Philosophical 
►Society.    Faithful  to  his  love  of  his  native  city,  he  wrote: 

I  was  bom  in  Boston,  New  England,  and  owe  my  first  instructions  in  literature  to 
the  free  grammar  schools  established  there.  I  therefore  give  £  100 '  sterling  to  my 
executors,  to  be  by  them,  the  survivors  or  survivor  of  them,  paid  over  to  tjie  man- 
agers or  directors  of  the  free  schools  in  my  native  town  of  Boston,  to  be  by  them,  or 
by  those  person  or  persons  who  sliall  have  the  superinteudenoe  and  management  of  the 
said  schools,  put  out  to  interest,  and  so  continued  at  interest  forever,  which  interest 
annually  shall  be  laid  out  in  silver  medals  and  given  as  honorary  rewards  annually 
by  the  directors  of  the  said  free  schools  belonging  to  the  said  town,  in  such  mamier 
as  to  the  discretion  of  the  selectmen  of  the  said  town  shall  seem  meet. 

'"This  £100,"  saysBigelow,  "proved  a  singularly  auspicious  investment.  With 
the  addition  of  a  little  to  the  fund  from  the  city  treasury  of  Boston  its  medals  have 
rewarded  the  diligeuge  and  exemplary  conduct  of  over  4,000  boys  who  have  been 
found  to  merit  them,  amd  have  no  doubt  stimulated  to  extra  exertion  perhaps  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  who  were  less  fortunate.  The  amount  of  this  fund  has  more  than 
doubled  since  Franklin's  death. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  169 

By  a  codicil  to  the  will  Franklin  made  an  eflort  to  provide  tor  the 
perpetual  application  of  liis  own  ideas  regarding  the  encouragement  of 
apprentices  for  the  benefit  of  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  and  Philadel- 
phia.   The  provision  is  as  follows: 

I  was  born  iu  Boston,  New  England,  and  owe  my  first  instmctions  in  lit«ratare  to 
the  free  grammar-schools  established  there.  I  have,  therefore,  already  considered 
these  schools  in  my  will.  But  1  am  also  under  obligations  to  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts for  having,  unasked,  appointed  me  formerly  their  agent  iu  England,  with 
a  handsome  salary,  which  continued  for  some  years ;  and  although  I  accidentally  loet 
in  their  service,  by  transmitting  Governor  Hutchinson's  letters,  much  more  than  the 
amount  of  what  they  gave  me,  I  do  not  think  that  ought  in  the  least  to  diminish  my 
gratitude. 

I  have  considered  that,  among  artisans,  good  apprentices  are  most  likely  to  make 
good  citizens,  aud,  having  myself  been  bred  to  a  manual  art,  printing,  in  my  na- 
tive town,  and  afterwards  assisted  to  set  up  my  business  in  Philadelphia  by  kind 
loans  of  mouey  from  two  friends  there,  which  was  the  foundation  of  my  fortune, 
and  of  all  the  utility  iu  life  that  may  be  ascribed  to  me,  I  wish  to  be  useful  even 
after  my  death,  if  jjossible,  in  forming  and  ad  vaucing  other  young  men  that  may  be 
serviceable  to  their  country  in  both  those  towns.  To  this  end  I  devote  two  thou- 
sand pounds  sterling,  of  which  I  give  one  thousand  thereof  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  Boston,  iu  Massachusetts,  and  the  other  thousand  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  iu  trust,  to  and  for  the  uses,  intents,  aud  purposes  hereinafter 
uientioued  and  declared. 

The  said  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  sterling,  if  accepted  by  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town  of  Boston,  shall  be  managed  under  the  direction  of  the  selectmen,  united 
with  the  ministers  of  the  oldest  P^piscopalian,  Congregational,  aud  Presbyterian 
churches  in  that  town,  who  are  to  let  out  the  sum  upon  interest,  at  five  per  cent  per 
annum,  to  such  young  married  artificers,  under  the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  as  have 
served  an  apprenticeship  iutbe  said  town  and  faithfully  fulfilled  the  duties  required 
in  their  indentures,  so  as  to  obtain  a  good  moral  character  from  at  least  two  respect- 
able citizens,  who  are  willing  to  become  their  sureties,  in  a  bond  with  the  appli- 
cants, for  the  repayment  of  the  moneys  so  lent,  with  interest,  according  to  the 
terms  hereinafter  prescribed;  all  which  bonds  are  to  be  taken  for  Spanish  milled 
dollars,  or  the  value  thereof  in  current  gold  coin;  and  the  managers  shall  keep  a 
bound  book  or  books,  wherein  shall  be  entered  the  names  of  those  who  shall  apply 
for  and  receive  the  beuefits  of  this  institution,  and  of  their  sureties,  together  with  the 
sums  leut,  the  dates,  aud  other  necessary  and  pA)per  records  respecting  the  business 
aud  concerns  of  this  institution.  And  as  these  loans  are  intended  to  assist  young 
maiTied  artificei'S  in  setting  up  their  business,  they  are  to  be  proportioned  by  the 
discretion  of  the  managers  so  as  not  to  exceed  sixty  pounds  sterling  to  one  person, 
nor  to  be  less  than  fifteen  pounds;  and  if  the  number  of  appliers  so  entitled  should 
be  so  large  as  that  the  sum  will  not  suffice  to  aftbrd  to  each  as  much  as  might  other- 
wise not  be  improper,  the  proportion  to  each  shall  be  diminished  so  as  to  affonl  to 
every  one  some  assistance.  These  aids  may,  therefore,  be  small  at  first,  but,  as  the 
capital  increases  by  the  accumulated  interest,  they  will  be  more  ample.  And  iu 
order  to  serve  as  many  as  possible  in  their  turn,  as  well  as  to  make  the  repayment  of 
the  principal  borrowed  more  easy,  each  borrower  shall  be  obliged  to  pay,  with  the 
yearly  interest,  one-tenth  part  of  the  principal,  which  sums  of  principal  and  inter- 
est, so  paid  in,  shall  be  again  let  out  to  fresh  borrowers. 

And,  as  it  is  presumed  that  there  will  always  be  found  in  Boston  >irtuou8  and  be- 
nevolent citizens  willing  to  bestow  a  part  of  theii*  time  in  doing  good  to  the  rising 
generation  by  superintending  and  managing  this  institutioi^ratis,  it  is  hoped  that 
no  part  of  the  money  will  at  any  time  be  dead,  or  be  divertelPto  other  purposes,  but 
be  continually  augmenting  by  the  interest ;  in  which  case  there  may,  iu  time,  be 


170  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

wore  tl^an  the  uccasioua  in  Bostou  shall  re<iuire,  and  then  some  may  oe  spared  to  the 
neighboring  or  »)ther  towns  in  the  said  State  of  Massachusetts  who  may  desire  to 
have  it;  such  towns  engaging  to  pay  punctually  the  interest  and  the  poilions  of 
the  principal,  annually,  to  the  inhabitant{>  of  the  town  of  Boston. 

If  this  plan  is  executed,  and  succeeds  as  projected  without  interruption  for  one 
hundred  years,  the  sum  will  then  he  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  pounds; 
of  which  I  could  have  the  managers  of  the  donation  to  the  town  of  Boston  then  lay 
ont,  at  their  discretion,  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  in  public  works,  which  may 
be  judged  of  most  general  utility  to  the  inhabitants,  such  as  fortifications,  bridges, 
aqueducts,  public  buildings,  baths,  pavements,  or  whatever  may  make  living  in  the 
town  more  convenient  to  its  people,  and  render  it  more  agreeable  to  strangers  re- 
sorting hither  for  health  or  a  temporary  residenco.  The  remaining  thirty-one  thou- 
sand i)Ound8  I  would  have  continued  to  be  let  out  on  interest,  in  the  manner  above 
directed,  for  another  hundred  years,  as  I  hoj)e  it  will  have  betm  found  that  the  in- 
stitution has  had  a  good  effect  on  the  conduct  of  youth,  and  been  of  service  to  many 
worthy  characters  and  useful  citizens.  At  the  end  of  this  second  term,  if  no  unfortu- 
nate accident  has  prevented  the  operation,  the  sum  will  be  four  millions  and  sixty- 
one  thousand  pounds  sterling,  of  which  I  leave  one  million  sixtj'-oue  thousand 
pounds  to  the  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Boston,  and  three  mil- 
lions to  the  disposition  of  the  government  of  the  State,  not  presuming  to  carry  my 
views  farther. 

All  the  directions  herein  given  respecting  the  disposition  and  management  of  the 
donation  to  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  I  would  have  observed  respecting  that  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Philadelphia,  only,  as  Philadelphia  is  incorjjorated,  I  request  the 
corporation  of  that  city  to  undertake  the  management  agreeably  to  the  said  direc- 
tions; and  I  do  hereby  vest  them  with  full  and  ample  powers  for  that  purpose.' 

'  KRA-NKUN  FCND. 

This  is  a  fund  for  the  encouragement  of  young  mechanics.  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin, 
in  his  will,  gave  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  in  1791,  £1,000  sterling,  which  he  directed 
to  be  loaned  in  sums  of  not  more  than  £60  nor  less  than  £1.5  to  one  applicant,  at  5 
per  cent  interest,  to  be  repaid  in  annual  installments  of  10  per  cent  each.  These  loans 
arc  restricted  to  "young  married  artificers,"  under  the  age  of  25,  who  have  faith- 
fully served  an  apprenticeship  in  Boston,  so  as  to  obtain  a  certificate  of  good  moral 
character  from  at  least  two  respectable  citizens,  who  are  willing  to  become  theiiy 
sureties  in  a  bond  for  their  payment  of  the  money. 

It  was  the  estimate  of  Dr.  Franklin  that  the  £1,000  would  increase  in  one  hun(^red 
years  to  £131,000,  and  then  the  managers  of  the  fund  were  to  lay  ont  in  public  works 
£100,000,  and  the  balance  to  continue  on  interest  for  another  hundred  years,  which 
he  estimated  would  then  amount  to  £4,600,000.  Of  this  amount  the  sum  of  £1,610,000 
was  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Boston,  and  the  balance 
to  be  paid  to  the  government  of  the  State. 

The  board  of  aldermen,  1882,  after  a  rcjiort  in  the  matter  of  the  Franklin  fund  from 
a  committee  consisting  of  Aldermen  Stebbins  and  llart,  passed  the  fidlowing  resolves : 

Riaolred,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  board,  comprising  a  majority  of  the  trustees 
of  the  Franklin  fund,  it  is  expedient  and  highly  desirable  that  the  proportion  of  said 
fund  which  will  be  available  in  1891-'92  for  investment  in  "some  ])ub]ic  work'' 
should  be  devoted  to  the  extinguishment  of  the  debt  incurred  for  the  purciiase  of  the 
West  Roxbury  Park. 

Resolved,  That  in  th^  event  of  such  disposition  of  the  said  ])ortion  of  the  Franklin 
fund,  the  park  just  ])iHi-chased  should  be  called  "Franklin  Park,"  in  honor  of  the 
testator,  who  has  so  generously  (jndowed  his  native  town. 

The  name  "  Frankliul'ark  "  was  adojited  by  the  board  of  park  commissioners. 


;i: 


The  trnstees  uudeTMi^  will   are  the  selectmen  (now  board  of  aldermen),  united 


PRANKLIN^S   IDEAS   IN   EDUCATION.  171 

Franklin's  ideas  on  education  differed  from  those  of  Lis  contempora 
ries,  and  in  order  to  show  by  comparison  and  contrast  the  eiucatioual 
notions  which  lie  at  the  bottom  of  Franklin's  philosophy,  his  ideas  on 
education  will  be  compared  with  those  of  John  Adams  and  Thoma« 
Jefferson.  It  may  be  premised  that  John  Adams's  ideas  of  education 
are  typical  of  New  England,  and  by  comparing  them  and  Franklin's  it 
will  be  seen  how  the  life  of  Franklin  in  Pennsylvania  modified  his 
early  New  England  notions,  and  perhaps  explain  some  of  the  variations 
between  the  general  liberal  plan  of  education  characteristic  of  New 
England  and  the  middle  colonies. 

Franklin,  we  have  seen,  was  a  self-educated  man.  John  Adams 
received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  Harvard  College  in  1775, 
and  soon  after  became  the  teacher  of  the  grammar  school  in  the  town  of 
Worcester.  As  was  the  case  so  frequently  in  New  Jingland  schools, 
teaching  was  but  an  expedient  to  supply  for  the  time  being  the  wants 
of  life  and  afford  sufficient  leisure  to  read  law. 

Adams  was  closely  associated  with  Franklin  in  public  life,  both  be- 
ing members  of  important  committees  in  the  old  Congress,  the  most 
famous  of  which  was  the  committee  that  drafted  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  both  having  the  independence  of  the  colonies  at  heart 
while  that  independence  seemed  a  great  way  off",  and  both  serving 
their  country  in  joint  diplomatic  relations  in  Paris.    They  were  very 

with  the  ministers  of  the  oldest  Episcopalian,  Congregational,  and  Presbyterian 
churches  in  the  town  of  Boston.     The  first  loan  was  made  May,  1791. 

The  treasurer  of  the  fund,  Samuel  F.  McCleary,  in  his  annual  report  to  the  tms- 
tees,  makes  the  statement  of  the  condition  February  1,  1892,  viz : 

Amount  of  fund,  February  1,  1891 $383,496.38 

Interest  accrued  during  the  year 15, 345. 13 

Amount  of  fund,  February  I,  1892 398,841.51 

This  amount  consists  of — 

Deposits  in  Massachusetts  Hospital  Life  Insurance  (Company 395, 288. 82 

Deposits  in  Sufiblk  Savings  Bank 3, 282. 06 

Cash 63. 00 

Balances  of  bonds  for  loans , 270. 00 

Total 398,841.51 

Income  to  be  loaned  to  young  married  artificers,  under  the  age  of  35  years, 
who  have  served  an  apprenticeship  in  Philadelphia,  and  faithfully  fulfilled  the  du- 
ties required  in  their  indentures,  and  who  can  furnish  t  wo  satisfactory  securities 
for  the  return  of  the  money  in  ten  annual  iustallments,  with  interest  at  5  per  cent: 

Invested  capital,  December  SI,  1891. 

Philadelphia  City  loans: 

6  per  cent,  taxable $500. 00 

6  per  cent,  free ",*  '^' *^'  '^^'  ^ 

4percent .'.".T.. 100.00 

Pittsburg  City  7  per  cent  loans 1>  ^^-  ^ 


172  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

much  unlike  in  character,  Franklin  being  easy,  generous,  liberal  in 
his  views,  full  of  tact,  wise  in  his  observations,  and  preeminently 
hai>py  in  his  relations  with  men.  John  Adams  was  upright,  active, 
suspicious,  puritanical,  and  abrupt,  ever  viewing  public  aftairs  as  a 
lawyer  considers  his  case  in  hand,  and  filled  with  an  enormous  capac- 
ity for  business.  We  have  already  seen  how  the  various  activities  in 
which  Franklin  was  engaged  through  life  determined  his  educational 
notions;  in  a  similar  manner  John  Adams's  activities,  which  were 
chiefly  legal  and  political,  gave  character  to  his  ideas  on  education. 
Franklin  was  ever  suggesting  education  as  a  means  for  cultivating  the 
api)lied  arts,  for  improving  agriculture,  for  extending  the  conquests  of 
science,  for  promoting  the  general  welfare.  It  must  have  been  noticed 
in  our  outline  of  Franklin  that  he  gave  very  little  attention  in  his  plan 
to  political  studies;  he  mentions  them  and  urges  the  study  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  government,  history,  and  politics,  but  he  does  not  found  his 
scheme  of  education  upon  a  political  basis;  he  rather  founded  his  plans 
upon  the  scientific  and  industrial  basis,  for  lie  was  a  man  active  in  in- 
dustrial aftairs,  little  given  to  speculation,  and  apt  to  view  political 
events  aS  mere  changes  on  the  sea  of  public  affairs.  Adams,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  a  born  politician.    The  oldest  letter  of  John  Adams, 


United  States  4  per  cent  loans $2, 000.  00 

Bonds  and  mortgages 30,  200.  00 

Loans  to  young  married  artificers 209. 56 

82, 209. 56 
Cash  receipts  and  payments,  January  I  to  December  SI,  1891. 

KECEIPTS. 

Interest : 

Philadelphia  City  loans $2,996.50 

Pittsburg  City  loans 70.00 

Pennsylvania  State  loans 187. 50 

United  States  loans 80.00 

Bonds  and  mortgages 1,  320.  36 

Loans  to  artificers 24.27 

4,678.63 

Investments  collected : 

Philadelphia  City  loass $1,200.00 

Pennsylvania  State  loans 2, 500. 00 

Honds  and  mortgages 2, 250. 00 

Loans  to  artificers 120. 44 

6,070.44 

Cash  balance 3,603.95 

Cash  balance  January  1,1891 14,353.02 

PAYMENTS.  s 

Miscellaneous  expenses $162. 84 

Investment,  bond  and  mortgage 2,  000.  00 

^  °  •  ■ 2,162.84 

Cash  balance  December  31,  1891 12, 190. 18 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  173 

written  w  liile  yet  a  school-teacher  in  Worcester,  October  12, 1755,  in  a 
political  essay,  in  which  he  says: 

Be  not  surprised  th.it  I  am  turned  politician ;  this  whole  town  is  immerse*!  in  pol- 
itics. The  interests  of  nations  and  the  dira  of  war  make  the  subjectt  of  every  con- 
versation. I  sit  and  hear,  and  after  having  been  led  through  the  maze,  I  sometimna 
retire,  and  by  laying  together  form  some  reflections  pleasing  to  myself. 

He  was  always  "immersed  in  politics,"  and  politics  was  the  basis  of 
his  educational  ideas.'  These  first  appear  in  his  treatise  on  Govern- 
ment : 

Laws  for  the  liberal  education  of  youth,  especially  of  the  lower  classes  of  the 
people,  are  so  extremely  wise  that  to  a  humane  and  generous  man  no  expense  for 
this  piirpose  would  be  thought  extravagant. 

He  is  the  type  of  those  men  who  wpuld  prescribe  the  means  and  ends 
of  the  state  and  "by  good  laws  regulate  all  the  affairs  of  mankind." 
Nowhere  does  Franklin  ever  refer  to  a  "law  which  should  provide  for 
the  liberal  education  of  youth;"  Franklin  never  carried  his  scheme  of 
education  over  into  government.  John  Adams  would  embody  a  pro- 
vision for  education  in  the  fundamentals  of  government,  and  this  he 
did  in  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts  of  1780,  ot  which  instrument 
he  was  the  chief  author : 

Section  II. — The  Encouragement  of  Literature,  etc. 

Wisdom  and  knowledge,  as  well  as  virtue,  diffused  generally  among  the  body  of 
the  people,  being  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  their  rights  and  liberties,  and  as 
these  depend  on  spreading  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  education  in  the 
various  parts  of  the  country  and  among  the  different  orders  of  the  people,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  legislators  and  magistrates,  in  all  future  perioils  of  this  Commonwealth, 
to  cherish  the  interests  of  literature  aud  tlie  sciences  and  all  seminaries  of  them, 
especially  the  university  at  Cambridge,  public  schools  aud  grammar  schools  in  the 
towns;  to  encourage  private  societies  and  public  institutions,  rewards  and  immu- 
nities for  the  promotion  of  agriculture,  arts,  sciences,  commerce,  trades,  manufac- 
tures, and  a  natural  history  of  the  country;  to  countenance  and  inculcate  the  prin- 
ciples of  humanity  and  general  benevolence,  public  and  private  charity,  industry 
and  frugality,  honesty  and  punctuality  in  their  dealings,  sincerity,  good  humor,  and 
all  social  affections  and  generous  sentiments  among  the  people. 

His  grandson,  Charles  Francis  Adams,  gives  this  information  on  the 
origin  of  this  celebrated  clause : 

This  feature  of  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts  is  peculiar  and,  in  one  sense, 
original  with  Mr.  Adams.  The  recognition  of  the  obligation  of  a  State  to  promote  a 
higher  and  more  extended  policy  than  is  embraced  in  the  protection  of  the  temporal 
interests  and  political  rights  of  the  individual,  however  understood  among  enlightened 
minds,  had  not  at  that  time  been  formally  made  a  part  of  the  organic  law.  Those 
clauses,  since  inserted  in  other  State  constitutions,  which,  with  more  or  less  fullness, 
acknowledged  the  same  principle,  are  all  manifestly  taken  from  this  source.  The 
following  history  of  the  origin  of  it  is  taken  from  an  account  given  by  the  author 
in  1809: 

"In  traveling  from  Boston  to  Phila<lelphia,  in  1774,  '75,  76,  and  77,  I  had  several 
times  amused  myself,  atNorwalk,  in  Connecticut,  with  the  very  curious  collection 
of  birds  and  insects  of  American  production,  made  by  Mr.  Arnold ;  a  collection  which  he 

'  Life  and  Works  of  John  Adams,  Vol.  I,  p.  24. 


174  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

afterwards  sold  to  Goveruoi-  Trj'on,  who  sold  it  to  Sir  Ashton  Lever,  in  whose  apart- 
ments in  London  I  afterwards  viewed  it  afjain.  This  collection  was  so  singular  a 
thing  that  it  made  a  deep  impression  iipou  me,  aud  I  could  not  but  consider  it  a 
reproach  to  my  country  that  so  little  was  known,  even  to  herself,  of  her  natural 
history. 

When  I  was  in  Europe  in  the  years  1778  and  1779,  in  the  commission  to  the  King 
of  France,  with  Dr.  Franklin  and  Mr.  Arthur  Lee,  I  had  opportunities  to  see  the 
King's  collections  and  many  others  which  increased  my  wishes  that  nature  might  be 
examined  and  studied  in  my  own  cotmtry  as  it  was  in  others. 

In  Franco  among  the  academicians  and  other  men  of  science  and  letters  I  was  fre- 
quently entertained  with  inquiries  concerning  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Phila- 
delphia and  Avitli  eulogiums  on  the  wisdom  of  that  institution  aud  encomiums  on 
some  publications  in  their  transactions.  These  conversations  suggested  to  me  the 
idea  of  such  an  establishment  at  Boston  where  I  knew  there  was  as  much  love  for 
science  aud  as  many  gentlemen  who  were  capable  of  pursuing  it  as  in  any  other 
city  of  its  size. 

In  1770  I  returned  to  Boston  in  the  French  frigate  La  Sensible  with  the  Chevalier 
de  la  Luzerne  and  M.  Marbois.  The  corporation  of  Harvard  College  gave  a  public 
dinner  in  honor  of  the  French  ambassador  and  his  suite,  and  did  me  the  honor  of 
an  invitation  to  dine  with  them.  At  table  in  the  philosophy  chamber  I  chanced  to 
sit  next  to  Dr.  Cooper.  I  entertained  him  during  the  whole  of  the  time  we  were 
together  with  an  account  of  Arnold's  collections,  the  collections  I  had  seen  in 
Europe,  the  compliments  I  had  heard  in  France  upon  the  Philosopliical  Society  at 
Philadelphia,  and  concluded  with  proposing  that  the  future  legislature  of  Massa- 
chusetts should  institute  an  academy  of  arts  and  sciences. 

The  doctor  at  first  hesitated,  thought  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  members  who 
would  attend  to  it;  but  his  principal  objection  was  that  it  would  injure  Harvard 
College  by  setting  up  a  rival  to  it  that  might  draw  the  attention  and  affections  of 
the  public  in  some  degree  from  it.  To  this  I  answered,  fiBst,  that  there  were  cer- 
tainly men  of  learning  enough  that  might  compose  a  society  sufficiently  numerous; 
and,  secondly,  that  instead  of  being  a  rival  to  the  university  it  would  be  an  honor 
and  advantage  to  it.  That  the  president  and  principal  professors  would  no  doubt 
be  always  members  of  it;  aud  the  meetings  might  be  ordered  wholly  or  in  part  at 
the  college  and  in  that  room.  The  doctor  at  length  appeared  better  satisfied  and  I 
entreated  him  to  propagate  the  idea  and  the  plan  as  far  and  as  soon  as  his  discretion 
would  justify.  The  doctor  accordingly  did  diffuse  the  project  so  judiciously  and  " 
and  effectually  that  the  first  legislature  under  the  new  constitution  adopted  and 
established  it  by  law. 

Afterwards,  when  attending  the  convention  for  forming  the  constitution,  I  men- 
tioned the  subject  to  several  members,  and  when  I  was  appointed  by  the  subcom- 
mittee to  make  a  draft  of  a  project  of  a  constitution  to  be  laid  before  the  conventi(»n, 
my  mind  and  heart  were  so  full  of  this  subject  that  I  inserted  the  chapter  fifth, 
section  second. 

I  was  somewhat  apprehensive  that  criticism  and  objections  would  be  made  to  the 
section,  and  i^articularly  that  the  "natural  history,"  and  the  "good  humor"  would 
be  stricken  out,  but  the  whole  was  received  A'ery  kindly,  and  passed  the  convention 
unanimously  without  amendment. 

It  is  a  singularity,  perhaps  worthy  of  note  in  connection  with  these 
injunctions,  that  the  individuals  who  have  since  been  elevated  by  the 
popular  voice  to  the  chief  offices  of  the  State,  with  a  single  exception, 
have  not  been  -loted  among  their  fellow  citizens  for  any  superior  acqui- 
sitions of  learning  or  intellectual  culture.  A  considerable  number  have 
not  gone  through  the  higher  grades  of  education  in  Massachusetts  at  '^ 
all. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  175 

John  Arlanis  has  the  fame  of  being  the  first  American  statesman  to 
incorporate  in  a  State  constitution  a  provision  for  public  education. 
There  were  no  public  schools  in  Pennsylvania  in  Franklin's  day  and 
all  his  ideas  on  education  related  chiefly  to  private  enterprise  and  in 
dividual  effort.  There  had  been  public  schools  in  Massjichusetts  fn»m 
the  beginning  of  the  colony  and  the  inertia  of  educational  ideas  moving 
in  the  colony  carried  into  the  first  State  constitution  this  celebrated 
provision  for  the  encouragement  of  learning.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
Adams's  plan  provided  for  '^  the  promotion  of  agriculture,  arts,  sciences, 
commerce,  trades,  manufactures,  and  the  natural  history  of  the  coun- 
try," the  original  suggestion  of  which  is  explained  by  his  grandson. 

It  is  a  i^ew  England  idea  to  make  education  a  matter  of  laws.  Class 
distinctions  in  New  England  were  marked  in  Franklin's  day;  the  chil- 
dren of  the  tallow  chandler  were  not  classed  as  fit  companions  for  the 
children  of  clergymen  and  lawyers.  This  will  be  remembereti  in  inter- 
preting another  passage  in  Adams's  treatise  on  Government  pertaining 
to  education : 

The  education  here  intended  is  not  merely  that  of  the  children  of  the  rich  and 
noble,  but  of  every  rank  and  class  of  people  down  to  the  lowest  and  the  poorest.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say  that  schools  for  the  education  qf  all  should  be  placed  at  con- 
■"^enient  distances  and  maintained  at  the  public  expense;  the  revenue  of  the  State 
would  be  applied  infinitely  better,  more  charitably,  wisely,  usefully,  therefore 
politically,  in  this  way  than  even  in  maintaining  the  poor.  This  would  be  the  best 
way  of  preventing  the  existence  of  the  poor.  If  nations  should  ever  be  wise,  in- 
stead of  erecting  thousands  of  useless  oflBces,  or  engaging  in  unmeaning  wars,  they 
should  make  a  fundamental  maxim  of  this,  that  no  human  being  shall  grow  up  in 
ignorance.  In  proportion  as  this  is  done  tyranny  will  disappear,  kings  and  nobles 
will  be  made  to  feel  their  equitable  equality  with  commoners,  and  commoners  should 
see  their  interest  and  advantage  to  respect  the  guardians  of  the  laws,  for  guardians 
they  must  have  as  long  as  human  nature  endures.  There  is  no  room  to  doubt  that 
the  schools,  academies,  and  universities,  the  stage,  the  press,  the  bar,  the  pulpit, 
and  Parliament,  might  all  be  improving  to  better  purpose  than  they  have  been  in 
any  country  for  this  great  purpose. 

Again : 

The  greater  part  of  every  people  are  still  ignorant,  and,  although  their  leaden 
might  artfully  persuade  them  to  a  thousand  idle  expenses,  they  would  not  be  able 
to  persuade  them  to  this.  Education,  then,  must  be  supported  by  private  munifi- 
cence, and  such  sources,  although  sufficient  to  maintain  a  few  schools  and  a  univer- 
sity in  a  great  nation,  can  never  be  sufficient  to  maintain  schools  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  educate  a  whole  people.  Where  a  senate  is  i)re8erveil,  it  is  always  a  maxim 
with  them  to  respect  learning  and  educate  their  own  families.  Their  example  is 
followed  by  all  others  who  arc  in  any  way  in  easy  circumstances.  In  a  government 
of  three  branches,  commoners  as  well  as  nobles  are  under  the  necessity  of  educating 
their  children,  because  they  hope  to  be  called  to  public  service,  where  it  is  neces- 
sary. In  all  the  mixed  governments  of  antiquity,  education  was  necessary,  and 
where  the  people  had  a  share  it  was  the  most  generally  practiced,  but  in  a  simple 
government  it  never  was  general.  In  Sparta  it  was  far  from  being  general;  it  was 
confined  to  youth  of  family;  so  it  was -in  the  aristocracy  in  Rome.  But,  although 
we  have  examples  of  simple  democracy,  to  recur  to  that  the  majority  must  be  igno- 
rant and  poor,  and  sometimes  an  opposition  made  by  members  of  the  lowest  class, 
who  are  often  joined  for  sinister  purpose  by  some  men  of  consequence,  but  convinces 


176  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

that  the  general  public  education  never  can  long  exist  in  a  simple  democracy.  The 
stinginess,  the  envy,  and  malignity  of  the  base  iin«l  ignorant  would  be  flattered  by 
the  artful  and  designing.  If  the  education  of  every  family  be  left  to  its  own  ex- 
pense, the  rich  only  might  have  their  children  educated. 

Franklin  would  never  have  mentioned  education  in  such  a  connec- 
tion. He  did  not  view  the  state  as  merely  a  political  concern.  He 
frequently  has  occasion  to  remark  on  the  dift'erent  conditions  of  the  rich 
and  poor,  and  he  was  ever  projecting  schemes  by  which  the  poor  might 
become  rich.  He  would  set  everybody  on  the  way  to  wealth.  Indus- 
try, frugality,  and  self-education  were  the  basis  of  Franklin's  concep- 
tion of  state.  Adams,  on  the  other  hand,  viewed  the  state  wholly  as 
a  lawyer,  conceived  it  as  an  affair  of  laws  which  adjusted,  or  attempted 
to  adjust  the  rights  of  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  weak  and  the  strong, 
the  good  and  the  bad,  and  therefore  placing  law  as  of  chief  importance 
in  the  state,  he  would  regulate  education  by  law.  Nowhere  does  Ad  ams 
intimate  that  the  individual  should  educate  himself. 

When  in  Holland  in  1780  Adams  wrote  a  number  of  letters  upon  in- 
teresting subjects  respecting  the  Revolution  of  America  and  in  reply 
to  the  inquiry  "whether  the  common  people  in  America  are  not  inclined, 
when  they  are  able  to  find  sufficient  means,  to  frustrate  by  force  the 
good  intentions  of  the  politicians,"  wrote : 

The  difference  in  that  country  (America)  is  not  so  great  as  it  is  in  some  others  be- 
tween the  common  people  and  the  gentlemen ;  for  noblemen  we  have  none.  There 
is  no  country  Avhere  the  common  jieople,  I  mean  tlie  tradesmen,  the  husbandmen, 
and  the  laboring  people,  have  such  advantages  of  education  as  in  that  (America), 
audit  may  be  truly  said  that  their  education,  their  undei'standing,  and  their  knowl- 
edge are  as  nearly  equal  as  their  birth,  fortune,  dignities,  and  titles. 

This  might  be  expected  from  one  whom  his  enemies  sometimes  called 
"the  well-born"  and  it  is  eminently  in  keeping  with  the  general  tone 
of  New  England  thought  at  the  time.  Nowhere  in  Franklin's  writings 
is  there  found  such  a  statement  as  Adams's,  that  knowledge  among 
Americans  is  "as  nearly  equal  as  their  birth,  fortune,  dignities,  and 
titles."  The  counter  statement  is  made  by  Franklin  in  his  autobiog^ 
raphy  when  speaking  of  the  beneficial  effect  of  founding  the  Philadel- 
phia Library.' 

In  other  words,  Franklin  was  a  democrat  in  his  educational  ideas; 
Adams,  a  New  England  aristocrat  of  the  radical  type,  who  would 
direct  and  guard  the  people's  interest,  discriminate  as  to  their  "birth, 
fortune,  dignities,  and  titles"  and  by  the  artifice  of  law  attempt  to 
equalize  their  condition  as  far  as  possible. 

The  different  effect  on  America  of  the  ideas  of  these  two  men  is 
apparent  in  our  time.  Franklin's  plan  of  self-education,  rising  to  the 
dignity  of  utilitarian  philosophy,  has  profoundly  influenced  the  Amer- 
ican people  and  stimulated  thousands  to  improve  themselves  and 
acquire  by  frugality  and  industry  advantages  which  were  not  theirs 
by  birth.    Adams,  prescribing  public  education  by  the  law  of  the 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  177 

state,  was  among  the  founders  of  our  public  scliool  system,  by  which 
the  State  educates  the  young  at  public  expense.  The  ideas  of  John 
Adams  on  education  have  eliminat-ed  largely  and  necessarily  from  the 
body  of  youth  receiving  instruction  at  the  expense  of  the  State  that 
personal  ambitious  interest  in  self  education  which  is  characteristic  of 
those  who  follow  Franklin's  plan.  Our  public  shools  are  characterized 
by  a  mechanism  which  produces  a  uniform  training  of  an  average 
quality  and  transforms  ignorant  childhood  into  book-taught  youth, 
of  I  en  without  stirring  that  sense  of  personal  concern  in  the  acquisition 
of  knowledge  of  which  Franklin  was  always  fondly  speaking. 

If  John  Adams  was  instrumental  in  founding  the  public  school  sys- 
tem of  the  United  States  when  he  incorporated  in  the  constitution  of 
Massachusetts  of  1780  that  famous  clause  providing  for  the  maintenance 
of  public  schools  and  higher  institutions  of  learning,  which  has  largely 
intiuenced  the  entire  Korth,  and  which  may  be  traced  in  these  suc- 
cessive State  constitutions  that  have  been  made  from  Massachusetts  to 
Oregon,  and  if  he  was  successful  in  incorporating  education  by  law  in 
the  organization  of  the  State,  he  yet  failed,  as  all  have  failed,  who 
would  resolve  education  into  a  conformity  to  the  requirements  of  a  law 
however  wise  in  its  ultimate  purposes,  in  founding  a  system  of  educa- 
tion which  can  compete  in  true  value  with  that  system  which,  like 
Franklin's,  transforms  every  individual  into  an  ever-improving,  self- 
educating  soul. 

Doubtless  it  has  occurred  to  the  reader  that  it  is  by  the  Franklin 
model  that  such  men  are  made  as  Horace  Greeley,  Abraham  Lincoln, 
Robert  Fulton,  and  other  original  and  creative  minds,  who  are  self- 
educated,  yet  who  rank  among  the  determinative  forces  in  America. 
It  is  the  old  story  of  the  college-made  and  self-made  man,  but  we  must 
admit  that,  as  human  nature  is,  it  is  better  for  our  cotmtry  to  have  the 
advantage  of  the  results  obtained  by  the  application  of  John  Adams' 
plan  for  education  by  i)rescribing  it  in  the  fundamental  law  of  the  State 
than  to  run  the  risk  of  securing  an  educated  democracy  by  the  appli- 
cation of  Franklin's  plan  of  self  education.  The  few  will  profit  by 
Franklin's  example,  the  many  will  be  imi)roved  by  the  operation  of  the 
laws  which  John  Adams  favored.  In  fine,  Franklin's  ideas  applies  to 
individuals ;  Adams',  to  the  welfare  of  the  masses. 

John  Adams  writes  in  1785: 

The  wliole  people  must  take  upon  themselvpa  the  education  of  the  whole  people 
and  must  be  willing  to  bear  the  expense  of  it.  There  should  not  be  a  district  of  one 
mile  square  without  a  school  in  it,  not  founded  by  a  charitable  individual,  but 
maintained  jvt  the  expense  of  the  people  themselves. 

Benjamin  Rush  had  written  to  Adams  Iiis  opinions  that — 

The  benefits  of  free  schools  should  not  be  overlooked.  Indeed,  suffrage,  in  my 
opinion,  should  never  be  permitted  to  a  man  that  cotild  not  write  or  read. 

To  which  Adams  replied : 

Free  schools  and  all  schools,  colleges,  aca<lemiea,  and  seminaries  of  learning  I 
can  recommend  from  my  heart,  but  I  dare  not  say  that  the  suffrage  should  never  b« 

1180 12 


178  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

permitted  to  a  man  who  can  not  read  and  write.  What  would  become  of  the  Re- 
public of  France  if  the  lives,  fortunes,  and  character  of  the  twenty-four  million 
and  a  half  men  who  can  neither  read  nor  write  should  bo  at  the  absolute  disposal  of 
five  hundred  thousand  Ajho  can  read? 

Adams's  opinion  on  intelligent  qualification  for  voting  may  be  said 
to  express  the  Avisli  of  tboiigbtful  Americans  of  all  times. 

In  the  closing  years  of  his  life  Adams  was  in  close  and  delightful 
correspondence  with  Thomas  Jefferson  at  a  time  when  Jefferson  was 
engaged  in  establishing  the  University  of  Virginia.  In  a  letter  to 
Jefferson,  written  from  Quincy,  July  16,  1814,  we  obtain  quite  a 
glimpse  of  the  character  of  Adams's  education  if  not  of  his  ideas  on 
that  subject : 

I  am  very  glad  [he  writes]  yon  have  seriously  road  Plato,  and  still  more  rejoiced 
to  find  that  your  reflections  upon  him  so  perfectly  harmonize  with  mine.  Some 
thirty  years  ago,  I  took  upon  me  the  severe  task  of  going  through  all  his  works.' 
With  the  help  of  two  Latin  translations  and  one  English  and  one  French  transla- 
tion, and  comparing  some  of  the  most  remarkable  passages  with  the  Greek,  I 
labored  through  the  tedious  toil.  My  disappointment  was  very  great,  my  astonisli- 
ment  was  greater,  and  my  disgust  was  shocking.  Two  things  only  did  I  lotirn  from 
him.  First,  that  Franklin's  ideas  of  exempting  husbandmen  and  mariners,  etc., 
from  the  (lepreilations  of  war,  Avere  borrowed  from  him;  and  second,  that  sneezing 
is  a  cure  for  the  hiccough.  Accordingly,  I  have  cured  myself  and  all  my  fi'leuds  of 
,  that  provoking  disorder,  for  thirty  years,  with  a  pinch  of  snuff. 

Some  part«  of  his  dialogues  are  entertaining,  like  the  writings  of  Rousseau;  but 
his  Laws  and  his  Republic,  from  which  I  expected  most,  disappointed  me  most.  I 
could  scarcely  exclude  the  suspicion  that  he  intended  the  latter  as  a  bitter  satire 
upon  all  republican  governments,  as  Xenophon  nndotibtedly  designed  by  his  essay 
on  democracy  to  ridicule  that  species  of  republic.  In  a  late  letter  to  the  learned 
and  ingenious  Mr.  Taylor,  of  Hazelwood,  I  suggested  to  him  the  project  of  writing 
a  novel,  in  which  tlie  hero  should  be  sent  on  his  travels  through  Plato's  republic, 
and  all  his  adventures,  with  his  observations  on  the  principles  and  opinions,  the 
arts  and  sciences,  the  manners,  customs,  and  habits  of  the  citizens,  should  be 
recorded.  Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  destructive  of  human  happiness,  more 
infallibly  contrived  to  transform  men  and  women  into  brutes,  yahoos,  or  demons,  than 
a  commtinity  of  wives  and  property.  Yet,  in  what  are  the  writings  of  Rousseau 
and  Helvetiue  wiser  than  those  of  Plato?  "The  man  who  first  fenced  a  tobacco 
yard  and  said,  'this  is  mine,'  ought  instantly  to  have  been  put  to  death,"  said 
Rousseau.  "The  man  who  first  pronounced  tlie  liarbarous  word  Dien,  ought  to  have 
been  immediately  destroyed,"  says  Diderot.  In  short,  philosophers,  ancient  and 
modern,  appear  to  me  an  mad  as  Hindoos,  Mahometans,  and  Christians.  No  doubt 
they  would  all  think  mo  mad,  and  for  anything  I  know,  this  globe  may  be  the 
Bedlem  le  IJicetre  of  the  universe. 

Aft«r  all,  as  long  as  property  exists,  it  will  accumulate  in  individuals  and  families. 
As  long  as  marriage  exists,  knowledge,  property,  and  influence  will  accumulate  in 
families.  Your  and  our  eqnal  partition  of  intestate  e8t.ate8,  instead  of  preventing, 
will  in  time  augment  the  evil,  if  it  is  one.  The  French  revolutionists  saw  this,  and 
were  so  far  consistent.  AVhen  they  burned  pedigrees  and  genealogical  trees  they 
annihilated,  as  far  as  they  could,  mairiages,  knowing  that  marriage,  among  a  thou- 
sand other  things,  wsis  an  infallible  source  of  aristocracy.  I  repeat  it,  so  sure  {«« the 
idea  and  the  existence  of  property  is  admitted  and  established  in  society,  accumula- 
tions of  it  will  be  made;  the  snowball  will  grow  as  it  rolls. 


'  Idem,  Vol.  ix,  p.  540. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  179 

Cicero  was  e«lu(  ated  in  the  groves  of  Academus,  wh«re  the  nam©  and  mcmoi;;  of 
Plato  was  idolized  to  such  a  degree  that  if  he  had  wholly  reiiouiwed  the  prejudices 
of  his  education  his  reputation  would  have  been  lesseued,  if  not  injurwl  and  ruined. 
In  his  two  volumes  of  Discourses  on  Government,  we  may  jiresunie  that  he  fully  ex- 
amined Plato's  Laws  and  Republic,  as  well  as  Aristotle's  writings  on  government. 
But  these  have  been  carefully  destroyed,  not  improbably  with  the  g«'ueral  consent  of 
philosophers,  politicians,  and  priests.  The  loss  is  as  much  to  be  regretted  as  that  of 
any  production  of  antiquitj^ 

Nothing  seizes  the  attention  of  the  staring  animal  so  surely  as  pantdox,  riddle, 
mystery,  invention,  discovery,  wonder,  temerity. 

Plato  and  his  disciples  from  the  fourth  century  Christians,  to  Rousseau  and  Tom 
Paine,  have  been  full  sensible  of  this  werfkness  in  mankind,  and  have  too  snccess- 
fully  grounded  upon  it  their  pretensions  to  ftime.  I  might,  indeed,  have  mentioned 
Boliugbroke,  Hume,  Gibbon,  Voltaire,  Turgot,  Helvetius,  Diderot,  Condorcet,  Buffou, 
Do  la  Lande,  and  fifty  others,  all  a  little  cracked. 

Bo  to  their  faults  a  little  blind, 
To  tlieir  virtues  ever  kind. 

Education!  oh  education  !  the  greatest  grief  of  my  heart  and  the  greatest  affliction 
of  my  life !  To  my  mortification  I  must  confess  that  I  have  never  closely  thought  or 
deliberately  reflected  upon  the  subject,  which  never  occurs  to  me  now  without  pro- 
ducing  a  deep  sigh,  a  heavy  groan,  and  sometimes  tears.  My  cruel  destiny  separated 
me  from  my  children  almost  continuiilly  from  their  birth  to  their  manhood.  I  was 
compelled  to  leave  them  to  the  ordinary  routine  of  reading,  writing,  and  Latin 
school,  academy,  and  college.  John,  alone,  was  much  with  me,  and  he  but  occa- 
sionally. 

If  I  venture  to  give  you  my  thoughts  at  .'ill,  they  must  be  very  crude.  I  have 
turned  over  Locke,  Milton,  Condillac,  Rousseau,  and  even  Miss  Edgeworth.as  a  bird 
flies  through  the  air.  The  "Preceptor"  I  have  thought  a  good  book.  Grammar, 
rhetoric,  logic,  ethics,  mathematics,  can  not  be  neglected.  Classics,  in  spite  of  our 
friend  Rush,  I  must  think  indispensable.  Natural  history,  mechanics,  and  experi- 
mental philosophy,  chemistry,  etc.,  at  least  their  rudiments,  can  not  be  forgotten. 
Geography,  astronomy,  and  even  history  and  chronology,  though  I  am  myself  afflicted 
with  a  kind  of  pyrrhonism  in  the  two  latter,  1  presume  can  not  be  omitted.  The- 
ology I  would  leave  to  Ray,  Durham,  Nieuwentyt,  and  Pa  ley,  rather  than  to  Luther, 
Zi"zendorf,  Swedenborg,  Wesley,  or  Whitefield,  or  Thomas  A<iuinas,  or  Wollebius. 
Metaphysics  I  would  leave  in  the  clou«ls  with  the  materialists  and  spiritualists, 
with  Leibnitz,  Berkeley,  Priestley,  and  Edwards,  and,  I  might  add,  Hume  and  Keed. 
Or,  if  permitted  to  be  read,  it  should  be  with  romances  and  novels.  What  shall  I  say 
of  music,  drawing,  fencing,  dancing,  and  gymna.stic  exercises?  What  of  languages, 
oriental  or  occidental;  of  French,  Italian,  German,  or  Russi.'in;  of  Sanscrit,  or  of 
Chinese?  The  task  you  have  prescribed  to  me  of  grou[»ing  these  sciences  or  arte 
under  professors,  within  the  views  of  an  enlightened  economy,  is  far  Iwyond  my 
forces.     Loose  indeed,  and  undigested,  must  be  all  the  hints  I  can  note. 

Might  grammar,  logic,  and  rhetoric  be  under  one  professor?  Might  mathematics, 
mechanics,  and  natural  philosophy  be  nnd«'r  another?  Geogniphy  and  astronomy 
under  a  third?  Laws  and  government,  liist(»ry,  and  chronology  under  a  fourth? 
Classics  might  require!  a  fifth.  Condillac's  course  of  study  has  excellent  p<»rt.s; 
among- many  systems  of  mathematics — English,  French,  and  American — there  is  none 
preferable  to  Bezout's  course;  La  Harpe's  course  of  literature  is  very  valaable.' 

'Lack  of  space  forbids  a  comparison  of  Franklin's  ideas  on  education  with  those 
of  W^ashington,  Hamilton,  and  Ma<lison.  Washington  and  Hamilton  correspondetl 
freely  about  the  establishing  of  a  national  university  as  a  school  for  the  political 
training  of  American  youth  for  the  public  service.  I  can  only  refer  to  the  subject 
here. 


180  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  correspondence  between  Adam's  and  Jefferson  brings  to  light 
the  education  which  these  eminent  men  had  received,  and  our  acquaint- 
ance with  their  public  services  and  their  j^rivate  life  suggests  to  us 
some  comparisons  between  their  views  on  education  and  enables  us  to 
understand  how  three  men  so  efficiently  equipped  for  their  work  in  life 
as  were  Franklin,  Adams,  and  Jefferson,  contemporaries,  colleagues, 
and  associartes  in  several  of  the  most  important  public  services  of  the 
century,  advocated  educational  views  in  conformity  with  their  own  in- 
dividual experience  and  education  in  life.  Franklin  was  self  educated, 
and  liis  plan  of  education  is  that  all  others  should  do  likewise;  Adams 
is  college-bred,  of  ancient  New  England  family,  a  born  politician,  a 
lawyer,  a  statesman,  recognizing  different  classes  in  society  with  inter- 
ests somewhat  discordant,  and  seeking  to  establish  public  education  at 
public  expense ;  Jefferson's  educational  views  resemble  Adams's  rather 
than  Franklin's,  for  Jefferson,  like  Adams,  viewed  the  subject  in  its 
legal  aspect,  though  he  differed  greatly  from  Adams  in  his  personal 
interest  in  agriculture,  in  mechanics,  in  invention,  and  in  architecture. 

Jeff'erson's  educational  views  may  be  gathered  from  his  correspond- 
ence, and  particularly  from  h\s  letters  written  during  the  last  twenty 
years  of  his  life: 

I  have  long  entertained  the  hope  [he  writes]  that  this,  onr  native  State,  "wonld 
take  up  tlie  subject  of  education  and  make  an  establishment  there,  with  or  without 
incorporation  into  that  of  William  and  Mary  College,  where  every  branch  of  science 
deemed  useful  at  this  day  should  be  taught  in  its  highest  degree.  With  this  view  I 
have  lost  no*  occasion  of  making  myself  acquainted  with  the  organizations  of  the 
best  seminaries  in  other  countries  and  with  the  opinions  of  the  most  enlightened  in- 
dividuals on  the  8ul»ject  of  the  sciences  worthy  of  a  place  in  such  an  institution.  In 
order  to  prepare  what  I  had  promised  our  trustees  I  have  lately  revised  these  several 
plans  with  attention,  and  I  am  struck  with  the  diversity  of  arrangement  observable 
in  them,  no  two  being  alike.  Yet  I  have  no  doubt  that  these  several  arrangements 
have  been  the  subject  of  mature  reflections  l»y  wise  and  learned  men  who,  contem- 
plating local  circumstances,  have  adapted  them  to  the  section  of  society  for  which 
they  have  been  framed.  I  am  strengthened  in  this  conclusion  by  iin  examination  of 
each  separately,  and  the  conviction  that  no  one  of  them,  if  adopted  without  change, 
would  be  suited  to  the  circumstances  and  pursuits  of  our  country.  The  example 
they  have  set  to  them  is  authority  for  ns  to  select  from  their  different  institutions 
the  materials  which  are  good  for  us,  and  with  them  to  erect  a  structure  whose  ar- 
rangement shall  correspond  with  our  own  social  ccmdition,  and  shall  admit  of  en- 
largement in  proportion  to  the  encouragement  it  may  merit  and  receive.' 

After  this  sensible  introduction,  wliich  contains  a  wholesome  warning  against 
mere  imitation  in  educational  establishments  and  a  proper  recognition  of  peculiar 
local  conditions  in  every  individual  foundation,  .Jefferson  jiroceeds  to  survey  the  gen- 
eral field  of  education  and  to  mark  out  that  i)articular  portion  to  be  occujtied  by  the 
proposed  institution  in  his  immediate  neighborhood.  He  considers  the  subject  under 
three  heads:  elementary  schools,  general  schools,  and  professional  schools.  Under 
the  first  head  he  observes  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  government  to  see  that  every  citi- 
zen is  educated  according  to  his  condition  and  pursuits  in  life.  He  divides  the  mass 
of  citizens  into  the  laboring  and  the  learned  classes,  including  under  the  former  agri- 
cultural labor  and  handicrafts  and  under  the  latter  certain  skilled  labor  and  tech- 
nical knowledge.  Elementary  schools  will  suffice  for  the  laboring  classes.  Jef- 
^______ ^_  • 

'  Adams's  Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  University  of  Virginia,  pp.  62-64,  freely  quoted. 


franklin's    ideas    in    KDlCAi'lON.  181 

fcrson  ii()t«!8  the  fact  that  ii  plan  AViis  once,  inoposod  to  the  I*ij;iHlutur«i  of  Virginia  to 
tlivitle  fvery  county  into  hundreds  of  wards,  5  or  fi  miles  square,  earh  ward  to 
have  its  own  echools,  lor  the  eleniontary  education  of  the  children  in  reading;,  writ- 
ing, arithmetic,  and  geography.  He  expresses  the  hope  that  this  project,  once  inef- 
fectually attempted,  may  he  resumed  "  in  a  more  jiromising  form.  "  I'a.'tsing  to  the 
second  head,  Jefferson  remarks  that  pupils  leaving  the  elementary  schools  will  sep- 
arate into  two  classes,  for  the  pursnit  of  laltor  an<l  science,  respectively.  I'upils 
destined  for  the  latter  will  go  to  c<dlege,  where  higher  education  is  afforded  by  gen- 
eral schools  and  is  specialized  in  professional  schools.  The  learned  class  he  divides 
into  sections :  first,  those  destined  for  professional  life  and,  t^eeoud,  the  wealthy,  wh«i 
"may  aspire  to  share  in  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  nation  or  live  with  usefulness 
and  respect  in  the  private  ranks  of  life.  "  Both  the  learned  and  the  wealthy  will  re- 
quire the  higher  education,  hut  the  former  will  need  to  specialize  and  pass  from  the 
general  to  the  professional  schools. 

Jefi'erson  then  attempts  to  classify  the  branches  of  useful  scieuce,  which  ought  to 
be  taught  in  the  general  schools.  He  groups  them  under  three  departments:  lan- 
guage, mathematics,  andphilosophj'.  In  the  first  department  he  arranges  languages, 
and  history  (ancient  and  modern),  grammar,  belles-lettres,  rhetoric  ami  orat4jry,  and 
a  school  for  the  deaf,  dumb,  and  blind.  "  History,"  he  says,  "  is  here  asso(-iat<>d 
with  languages,  not  as  a  kindred  subject,  but  on  a  j)rinciple  of  economy,  because 
both  may  be  attained  by  the  same  course  <)f  reading,  if  books  are  selected  with  that 
view."  This  thought,  originally  advanced  by  Jeifer.son  as  the  basis  of  elementary 
education,  became  in  the  person  of  George  Long,  the  classical  historian,  «»ne  <if  the 
ideal  cornerstones  of  the  University  of  Virginia.  Under  the  head  of  mathematics, 
Jefferson  classified  the  following  sciences:  pure  mathematics,  physico-mathemat- 
ic8,  physics,  chemistry,  mineralogy,  botany,  zoology,  anatomy,  and  the  theory  of 
medicine. 

Under  philosophy  he  grouped  ideology,  ethics,  the  law  of  nature  and  of  nations, 
government,  and  political  economy.  By  the  term  i<l4'ylogy,  Jefferson  njeant  simply 
the  science  of  the  human  understanding.  He  borrowed  his  novel  term  from  a  French 
writer,  Count  Destutt  Tracy,  member  of  the  senate  and  of  the  Institute  of  Frances 
whose  treatiS'j  on  the  elements  of  ideology  was  first  published  in  France  in  the  year 
1801,  and  is  reported  by  Jeifer.son  to  have  been  condemned  by  Napoleon  as  •'  the  dark 
and  metaphysical  doctrine  of  ideology,  which,  diving  into  first  causes,  founds  on 
this  basis  a  legislation  of  the  piiople."'  This  work,  which  the  presen*  generation 
would  probably  condemn  on  other  grounds,  made  a  profound  impression  upon  Jef- 
ferson, who  wished  to  establish  democracy  upon  a  philosophical  basis. 

PROFK88IONAI-  SCHOOLS. 

Let  us  observe  what  Jefferson  said  to  Peter  Carr  c«)ncerning  jtrofessiomil  schools, 
the  third  and  last  topic  of  the  .dis<-ussion.  To  these  schools  \v<»uhl  come  those 
students  who  propose  to  make  learning  their  profession  and  who  wish  to  pursue 
particular  science  with  more  nunuteness  and  detail  than  is  jjossible  in  the  cidlei^o 
proper,  which  would  give  sinqdy  a  liberal  education.  '•  In  these  professional  si-hocds 
each  science  is  to  be  taught  in  the  highest  degree  it  has  yet  attained."  Here  Jeffer- 
son discovers  the  real  uuiversity  idea  and  at  the  same  time  the  ideaof  sjiecialization 
for  a  definite  purpose.  "To  these  professional  schools  will  come,"  he  snys,  "the 
lawyer  to  the  school  of  law ;  the  ecclesiastic  to  that  of  thetdogy  and  ecclesiawtical 
history;  the  physician  to  those  of  the  practice  of  medicine,  materia  medicii,  phar- 
nuicy,  and  surgery;  the  military  man  to  that  of  military  and  naval  architecture  and 
projectiles;  the  agricnltor  to  that  of  rural  economy ;  the  gentleman,  the  architect, 
the  pleasure  gardener,  painter,  and  musician  to  the  school  of  fine  arts." 

'Jefferson's  letter  to  Colonel  Duane,  April  4, 1813,  given  in  Adams's  Thoma^  Jeffer- 
son and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 


182  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

TBCHNICAL  KDUCATIOX. 

Besides  the  university  idea  and  the  thought  of  these  special  schools  Jeflferson,  in 
his  letter  to  Carr,  clearly  anticipated  the  modern  idea  of  technical  education.  He 
proposed  what  he  called  a  "school  of  technical  philosophy,"  where  certain  of  the 
higher  branches  should  bo  taught  in  abridged  form  to  meet  practical  wants.  "  To 
such  a  school,"  he  said,  "  will  come  the  mariner,  carpenter,  shipwright,  pump-maker, 
clock-maker,  machinist,  oi)tician,  nietallnrgist,  founder,  cutler,  druggist,  brewer, 
vintner,  distiller,  dyer,  painter,  bleacher,  soap-maker,  tanner,  powder-inaker,  salt- 
maker,  glass-maker,  to  learn  as  much  as  shall  be  necessary  to  i)ursue  tlieir  art  under- 
standiugly,  of  the  sciences  of  geometry,  mechanics,  statics,  hydrostatics,  hydraulics, 
hydrodynamics,  navigation,  astronomy,  geography,  optics,  ])ueumatic8,  acoustics, 
physics,  chemistry,  natural  history,  botany,  mineralogy,  and  i)harmacy."  In  this 
school  of  technology  Jefferson  proposed  to  grouj)  the  students  in  convenient  classes 
for  elementary  and  practical  instruction  by  lectures  to  be  give'n  in  the  evening,  so 
as  to  aftord  an  opportunity  lor  labor  in  the  day-time.  Military  exercises  were  to  be 
required  on  certain  days  throughout  the  entire  course  for  all  grades  of  students. 
Thus  the  features  of  military  schools,  technological  institutes  and  modern  agricul- 
tural colleges  were  associated  with  the  higher  education  in  a  people's  university,  jis 
conceived  by  Thomas  Jefferson. 

Of  course  JefTersfm  did  not  expect  to  realize  all  at  once  this  educational  scheme 
as  proposed  to  Peter  Carr.  He  urged,  as  a  practical  beginning,  the  establishment 
of  a  general  school  or  college,  with  four  professorships,  giouping  (1)  language  and 
History,  belles-lettres,  rlietoric  and  oratory;  (2)  mathematics,  jdiysics,  etc.;  (3) 
chemistry  and  other  natural  sciences;  (4)  philosophy,  wliich,  in  his  view,  included 
political  science.  He  said  these  professorships  "must  be  subdivided  from  time  to 
time  as  our  means  increa.se,  until  each  professor  shall  have  no  more  under  his  care 
than  he  can  attend  to  with  a4lvant.ige  to  his  pupils  and  case  to  himself."  With 
farther  increase  of  resour<!es,^>rofessional  scliools  were  to  be  adde<l.  Such  were  the 
fundamental  lines  of  thought  which  gave  sliapo  to  the  first  jiroject  for  a  University 
of  Virginia,  in  Jefferson's  own  neighborhood.  Like  the  preliminary  drawings  of  a 
great  artist,  these  bold  outlines  have  a  permanent  interest  in  the  student."  ' 

By  comparison  of  the  educational  views  of  Franklin,  Jefferson,  and 
John  Adams  we  conclude  that  the  ])resent  public  school  system  of  the 
United  States,  which  is  established  by  the  constitutions  and  laws  of 
the  several  States,  is  in  conformity  with  the  educatioual  views  of  John 
Adams.  While  it  can  not  be  affirmed  that  he  was  the  soleorigiuatbr  of 
the  system  of  American  public  schools,  it  may  be  said  truly  that  he  is 
the  earliest  eminent  American  statesman  who  incorporated  a  provision 
for  8u<!h  public  education,  not  only  in  his  writings  on  government  but 
in  his  political  service,  and  particularly  in  that  clause  which  he  wrote 
in  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts  of  17B0,  providing  for  a  system  of 
education  at  public  expense.  Adams  at  least  had  the  philosophy  of 
education  on  his  side,  for  he  set  forth  his  ideas  on  t\w  universal  prin- 
ciple of  the  general  welfare,  sipproaching  the  subject  from  a  considera- 
tion of  the  universal  character  of  educat ion ;  while  l^Yankliu  approached 
it  from  a  con.sideration  of  the  individual,  and  of  the  utilities  which 
arc  resultant  from  education.  Adams,  therefore,  identifying  the  inter- 
ests of  education  and  the  interests  of  the  masses,  stands  among  those 
who  founded  our  educational  system.      Franklin  outlined  a  method 


'Adams,  "Thomas  Jefferson  aud  the  Uuiversity  of  Virginia,"  pp.  62-04. 


v.'c. 


FRANKLINS    IDEAS    IN    EDUCATION.  183 

fulapted  to  the  wants  of  individuals,  but  at  the  same  time  d(?pendent 
upon  those  individuals  for  its  successful  operation.  .  He  founded  no  syH- 
tern  of  education;  he  did  not  identify  the  oi>eration  of  his  educational 
plans  with  the  necessity  and  growth  of  the  State.  Self  education  may 
be  said  to  be  the  natural  method  of  education,  this  was  Franklin's  plan. 
Education  at  the  expense  of  the  State,  according  to  law,  so  earnestly 
advocated  by  John  Adams  may  be  called  the  conventional  system, 
practicable  and  advantageous  in  a  country  like  ours.  Jefferson  took  a 
somewhat  higher  ground,  recognizing  that  education  must  be  dire<;ted 
by  those  technically  trained  to  perform  its  duties.  He  compared  the  ed- 
ucational institutions  of  Europe  before  he  attempted  to  found  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia,  and  sought  to  incorporate  in  that  University  the 
best  of  all  that  he  saw  abroad  that  was  adapted  to  the  wants  of  Amer 
ica.  He  would  found  an  institution  in  which  not  only  the  young  might 
pursue  all  studies,  but  also  an  institution  which  w<mld  provide  techni- 
cal instruction  for  those  who  would  pursue  parti(;nlar  stndies  at  great 
length.  If  John  Adams  is  the  father  of  the  common  school  and  Benja- 
min Franklin  the  model  of  the  self-educated  man,  Thomas  Jefferson  is 
the  promoter  of  the  university  idea  in  America. 

The  influence  of  the  ideas  that  each  of  the^e  men  advocated  is  clearly 
discernible  in  the  educational  history  of  America.  We  have  the  public 
school  system,  the  education  of  the  masses  by  the  masses,  John  Adams's 
idea;  we  have  the  technical  school  in  the  university,  Jefferson's  idea; 
and  we  have  the  means  of  self  education,  books,  business,  factories, 
libraries,  learned  societies,  nature,  and  the  human  soul,  capable  of 
making  use  of  these  opportunities,  Franklin's  idea.  That  it  may  appe^ir 
more  clearly  what  has  been  the  influence  of  Franklin's  ideas  of  educa- 
tion ill  this  country,  I  may  conclude  my  sket<!h  by  briefly  outlining 
several  institutions  which  he  founded  in  Philadelphia,  or  which  have 
deveh)ped  according  to  his  ideas :  The  American  Philosophical  Society, 
the  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia,  the  Franklin  Institute,  Girard 
College,  the  Philadelphia  Manual  Training  Schools,  and  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania. 

The  American  Phih»so])hical  Society  dates  from  the  25tli  of  May, 
1743,  when  Franklin  published  his  famous  prosjiectus  for  its  estab- 
lishment. It  was  incorporated  by  act  of  the  legislatuie  of  I'euusyl- 
vania,  March  15,  1780,  as  "The  American  Philosojihical  Society,  held 
at  IMiiladelaphia,  for  Promoting  Useful  Knowledge."  The  language  of 
the  act  of  incorporation  describes  its  functions:  "The  cultivation  of 
useful  knowledge  and  the  advancement  of  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences ;" 
"the  prosecution  and  advancement  of  all  useful  branches  of  knowledge" 
for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  The  history  of  this  venerable  society, 
the  oldest  of  its  kind  in  the  world,  is  the  liistory  of  nuKlern  science. 
Franklin  was  its  first  president,  elected  January  2,  17Gi),  and  serving 
until  his  death.    He  was  succeeded  by  the  eminent  David  Rittenhouse, 


184  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

who  served  from  1791-1790.  The  other  presidents  and  iheii-.  terms  were 
as  follows:  Thomas  Jefferson,  1797-1815;  Caspar  Wistar,  1815-1818; 
Robert  Patterson,  1819-1821;  WiUiam  Tilghman,  1825;  Peter  Stephen- 
sou  Duponceau,  1828;  Eobert  M.  Patterson,  1845;  Nathaniel  Chapman, 
1846;  Robert  N.  Patterson,  1849;  Franklin  Bache,  1853;  Alexander 
Dallas  Bache,  1855;  John  Kay  Kane,  1857;  George  B.  Wood,  1859; 
Frederick  Fraley,  1880. 

Franklin  Bache  and  Alexander  Dallas  Bache  were  great  grandsons 
of  Benjamin  Franklin.  Franklin  Bache  was  distinguished  as  a  chemist, 
as  professor  of  chemistry  in  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  as  one  ol 
the  authors  of  the  Dispensatory  of  the  United  States,  and  of  many  con- 
tributions on  cognate  subjects. 

Alexander  Dallas  Bache  resembled  his  illustrious  ancestor.  He  was 
a  self-educated  man,  a  grjiduate  of  West  Point,  professor  of  chemistry 
and  natural  philosophy  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  an  active 
member  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  of  which  he  was  a  zealous  and  suc- 
cessful promoter,  and  first  president  of  Girard  College.  He  laid  the 
plans  for  the  Philadelphia  High  School,  and  as  its  first  principal  organ- 
ized it,  but  won  his  chief  fame  as  the  head  of  the  Coast  Survey  of  the 
United  States.  His  mind,4ike  Franklin's,  was  interested  in  all  matters 
of  public  concern  and  he  rendered  eflQcient  services  in  a  multitude  of 
matters  by  which  his  name  is  intimately  associated  with  many  of  the 
most  useful  enterprises  of  a  private  and  public  nature  in  the  educational 
affairs  of  the  country. 

The  American  Phih)Sophical  Society  has  enrolled  in  its  membership 
the  most  eminent  men  of  the  last  century  in  all  countries.  The  records 
of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Society  shows  a  multitude  of  useful  subjects 
which  it  has  from  time  to  time  considered.  The  record  of  the  last  meet- 
ing at  which  Franklin  presided  and  of  the  two  meetings  that  took 
notice  of  his  death  are  as  follows : 

1789.  Oct.  2.     (6  present;  Franklin  presiding. ) 

The  Royal  Irish  Academy  sent  their  Transactions,  Vol.  i.  Ordered,  That  the  sec- 
retaries send  in  acknowledgment  Transactions  American  Philoso]ihical  Society, 
Vols.,  II. 

Thos.  P<de,  of  London,  sent  through  his  brother,  Ed.  Pole,  of  Philadelphia,  a  letter 
of  thanks  for  election,  and  "a  description  and  drawing  of  a  remarkable  tumor 
which  lately  occurred  in  his  practice." 

Coal,  white  vitriol,  slate,  brick,  burnt  slate,  alum,  niter,  freestone,  and  Indian 
pottery  lately  found  in  a  bank  near  Washington  were  presented  throngb  Franklin 
Ijy  David  Reddick,  esq. 

P.  Young's  Essay  on  the  Powers  and  Mechanisms  of  Nature  wsia  presented  through 
Franklin  by  Samuel  Mather,  of  London. 

Specimens  of  the  PapjTiis  of  Syr.icuse  were  presented  by  Franklin. 

1790.  April  23.     Special  meeting.     (19  present.) 

To  consider  of  some  testimony  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  late  illustrious 
President. 

An  eulogy  voted,  to  "be  prepare<l  by  one  of  their  members,  to  be  ])ronounced  be- 
fore this  body  as  soon  as  may  be  convenient." 

Dr.  \Vm.  Smith  and  Dr.  Rittenhouse  "were  highest  in  votes."  by  ballot  "and  had 
each  an  equal  number." 


.^j^^£«^^^. 


"=-t^s-«.w>'  '■ 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  1790. 
I-rom  the  original  in  possession  of  the  American  Philosophical  S<K.-iety.  by  ,.erniissiou. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  185 

These  gentleuieu     »     *     "     cousentiug  tliat  the  said  ciilogiun.  •     shall 

certainly  he  prepared,  it  Ih  left  to  themselves  to  determine  which  of  them  Hhall  de- 
liver it. ' 

1790.  April  21.  Special  meeting  called  by  the  vice-presidents  at  3J  p.  m.,  in  the 
hiill;  tweuty  three  members  present,  who  "went  in  procession  to  the  funeral  oftheir 
late  illustrious  president.  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin." 

A  list  of  the  papers  published  in  the  "Traii8a<^',tioii8  of  the  S<K;iety" 
is  tlie  record  of  modern  science.  Among  the  writers  of  tliese  pajM^rs 
are  Dr.  Joseph  Priestley,  Edw.  D.  Cope,  Robert  Hare  (the  inventor  of 
the  blowpipe),  Benjamin  Franklin,  S.  S.  Haldeman  (the  eminent  philolo- 
gist), Dr.  Harrison  Allen,  Elias  Loomis  (the  eminent  mathematician), 
David  Rittenhouse,  Ferdinand  V.  Hayden,  Franklin  Bache,  John  L. 
Leconte,  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  Dr.  George  F.  Barker,  Dr.  S.  Weir 
Mitchell,  Joseph  Henry,  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  Henry  Phillips,  Jr.,  Dr.  E. 
Otis  Kendall,  Dr.  Daniel  G.  Briuton,  Dr.  Persifor  Frazer,  Dr.  Edgar 
F.  Smith,  Dr.  Joseph  Leidy,  Horatio  C.  Wood,  Alexander  Winchell, 
O.  C.  Marsh,  Franklin  Peale,  Dr.  William  Pepper,  Edwin  J.  Hou.ston, 
John  Hechewelder,  Thomas  Jefferson,  Charles  Lucien  Bonaparte,  Henry 
Draper,  B.  Henry  Latrobe,  John  W.  Draper,  Dupont  de  ^Nemours,  Pliny 
E.  Chase,  Dr.  George  Hays,  Joseph  T.  Rothrock. 

Among  the  papers  are  Transmission  of  Acids  in  VaiK)r  (Priestley), 
Experiments  on  Air  (Priestley),  Air  Pump  and  aNew  Construction  f  Hare), 
Causes  and  Cureof  Smoky  Chiinneys(Franklin),Encke'sComet(Loomi8), 
Coral  Reefs  (A.  D.  Bache),  Disease  of  the  Thorax  (Wistar),  Trial  by 
Jury  (Price),  Stone  Implements  in  Asia  and  Africa  (Henry  Phillips,  jr.), 
Precii)itati(ni  of  Copper  with  Sodium  Carbonate  (E.  F.  Smith),  Oxygen 
in  the  Sun  (John  W.  Draper),  Observations  on  Jupiter  and  Satellites 
(Kendall),  Extinct  Vertebrae  from  Nebraska  (Leidy),  Galvanometer 
Lantern  (Barker),  Universal  Hyperostacist  (William  Pei>i)er),  Electro- 
Dynamic  Induction  (Joseph  Henry),  Geology  of  Wyoming  and  Colorado 
(Hayden),  Cretaceous  Fishes  of  the  United  States  and  other  ])apers 
(Cope),  Microscopic  Destructions  in  AVoods  (Rothrock).^ 

The  hall  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  of  which  an  illustra- 
tion is  given,  was  erected  in  17^.  The  east  meeting  room  overUwks 
the  historic  Independence  Square,  south  of  the  old  Statehouse,  with 
whose  associations  Franklin  is  identified. 

The  Franklin  Institute  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  for  the, promo- 
tion of  mechanic  arts,  was  founded  in  the  year  1824.  Its  membership 
numbers  about  2,(K)0,  and  persons  of  either  sex,  who  are  friendly  to  tlie 
object  of  the  Institute,  are  eligible  for  election.  At  its  monthly  meet- 
ings new  inventions  and  processes  in  the  arts  and  manufactures  are 

'  The  eulogj'  was  pronounced  by  Dr.  William  Smith. 

-Subject,  Register  of  Papers  publishe<l  in  the  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society,  compiled  by  Henry  Phillips,  jr.,  a  secretary  of  the 
society,  Philadelphia,  MacCalla  «!•  Co.,  printers,  Nos.  237-239  Dock  street,  1889. 

Sec  Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  November  21, 1889,  vol.27, 
p.  131 ;  also  Proceedings  at  the  Dinner  Commemorative  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary 
of  the  Incorporation  of  the  Society,  March  15, 1880;  also  American  Philosophical  So- 
ciety, Celebration  of  the  One  hundredth  Anniversary,  May  25,  1843,  pp.  1-232. 


186  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

shown  iiiid  described ;  the  papers  upon  the  various  eugiiieering,  mechan- 
ical, and  industrial  fields  arti  read  and  discussed;  it  maintains  a  library 
of  scientific  and  technical  books  and  periodicals,  containing  over  37,000 
volumes,  23,000  pamphlets,  20,000  maps  and  charts,  and  over  1,000  pho- 
tographs, classified  and  catalogued.  It  is  exclusively  scrientific  and  tech- 
nical in  character  and  is  steadily  increasing  in  numbers  and  iiiii)ortance. 
It  embiaces,  in  addition  to  the  standard  and  current  works  on  mechan- 
ics, physics,  and  chemistry,  pure  and  applied,  the  publications  of  the 
principal  scientific  and  technical  societies  of  Ihe  world,  files  of  4(M)  home 
and  foreign  scientific  and  te(;hnical  serials,  accessible  to  all  members  in 
good  standing,  and  complete  sets  of  British  (and  colonial),  French,  Ger- 
man, Austro-Hungafian,  Russian,  and  American  patent  records  open 
for  insj^ection.  It  maintains  courses  of  lectures  each  winter  on  sub- 
jects of  a  scientific  and  technical  character.  These  lectures,  about  30 
in  number,  are  arranged  by  the  general  direction  of  the  committee  on 
instruction  with  the  assistance  of  the  professors  of  the  Institute.  The 
course  varies  from  year  to  year;  it  is  not  pojmlar  in  character,  bnt  it  is 
a  presentation  of  the  latest  advances  in  those  branches  of  science  and 
the  arts  for  the  advancement  of  which  the  Institute  was  founded.  Its 
programme  of  lectures  during  the  season,  l<S92-'93,  contains,  among 
others,  the  following  subjects  and  lecturers:  8hip  Canals  (illustrated) 
by  l*rof.  Lewis  M.  Haupt ;  The  Genesis  and  ICxodus  of  Steam,  INIr.  George 
H.  Babcock;  Cheap  Power,  Prof.  H.  W.  Spangler,  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, etc.  It  maintains  a  drawing  school  for  instruction  in  mechan- 
ical, architectural,  and  free  hand  drawing.  Its  scientific  work  is  con 
du(;ted  by  means  of  committ<»es,  composed  of  experts  in  various  branches, 
who  give  gratuitous  aid  to  inventors  and  discoverers  by  examining  their 
inventi(ms  and  making  a  report  on  them  to  the  Institute. 

The  reports  of  the  Committee  of  Science  and  Arts,  1834-1800,  are  in- 
dexed, and  an  examination  of  the.  index  shows  the  comprehensive  work 
of  the  Institute  during  the  last  half  century.  There  is  scarcely  an  in- 
vention or  a  discovery  of  im])ortance  during  the  last  half  century  which 
has  not  been  presented  to  the  FrankliiT  Institute  and  been  the  subject 
of  a  committee  report.  In  recent  years  the  specialization  of  sciences 
has  caused  the  Institute  to  appoint  a  chemical  section  and  an  electrical 
.sedition,  in  committee,  so  that  inventions  and  discoveries  in  these  spe- 
cial departments  may  receive  more  particular  attention. 

The  i)roceedings  of  the  Cliemical  Section  from  January  to  December, 
18fK),  (iontain  i)apers,  inter  alia,  on  Electro-Deposition  of  Platinum,  Wil- 
liam 11,  Wahl;  The  Present  Condition  of  the  Philadelphia  Water  Sup- 
ply, Samuel  C.  Hooker;  Tiic  Action  of  tlie  Hydrogen-Sulphide  Gas  ui)on 
Metallic  Amines,  E.  F.  Kellar  and  E.  F.  Smith,  and  many  other  papers 
of  importance. 

The  i)roceedingsof  the  Electrical  Section,  January  to  December,  1891, 
contain,  among  others,  Electro-Magnetic  Machiiierj'^,  William  S.  Aldrich; 
Experimental  Analogue  for  the  Direction  of  Induced  Currents,  Prof. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  187 

L.  F.  Roiuliiiella;  Artificial  Kain-Making,  Prof.  Edwin  J.  Houston 
and  many  other  papers. 

These  papers  may  be  named  as  illustration  of  the  high  order  of  work 
considered  by  these  committees. 

The  Institute  has  held  exhibitions  for  the  encx)urageraent  of  the 
arts  and  of  manufactures,  of  which,  perhaps,  the  most  noted  were  the 
Thirty-seventh  Exhibition  of  American  Manufa<;tures,  held  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia  October  6  to  November  12,  1874,  and  the  International 
Electrical  Exhibition  of  the  Franklin  Institute  of  1884.  The  utility  <»f 
these  great  exhibitions  has  been  demonstrated  in  their  practical  effects 
seen  in  the  innumerable  improvements  in  the  arts  and  sciences  for 
the  encouragement  of  which  they  were  held,  and  which  may  be  traced 
"  directly  to  these  exhibitions. 

The  Institute  publishes  a  Journal,  edited  by  a  staff  of  distinguished 
scientists,  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  science  and  the  mechanic  arts, 
and  which  publishes  the  most  important  papers  read  before  the  various 
meetings  of  the  Institute.  The  Journal,  like  the  work  of  the  Institute, 
is  widely  known  throughout  the  world.  Lectures  and  papers  read  be- 
fore the  meetings  of  the  Institute  are  reprinted  in  the  leading  technical 
journals  of  America  and  Europe. 

Mr.  Ooleman  Sellers,  president  of  the  Institute,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
commemorative  exercises  at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  its  founding, 
said  : 

Our  Franklin  InBtitute  was  from  the  beginning  a  mecbanic'n  institute  in  one  sense 
of  the  word.  It  taught  by  lectures,  but  sumetiuies  by  classes,  but  it  was  always 
more  than  Avas  contemplated  by  the  societies  abroiid.  If  I  may  so  express  myself,  it 
was,  and  still  is,  a  democratic  learned  society;  it  is  not  exclusive,  no  well-behaved 
person  is  excluded  from  its  membership;  all  who  desire  to  reap  its  b«'uetits  or  to  aid 
in  its  great  work  of  promoting  the  meclianic  arts  can  join  it.  This  is  not  ho  with 
the  so-called  learned  societies  of  this  and  other  lands;  they  select  their  members 
from  among  those  who  have  already  distinguished  themselves  among  the  arts  or  sci- 
ences, or  are  likely  to  distinguish  themselves;  hence  their  membership  is  confined 
solely  to  the  learned  of  the  land.  Now,  mark  the  dift'erence  in  ourca-ne:  learned  men 
join  our  society,  and  in  this  hall  come  in  coutiict  with  those  who  may  bo  unlearned, 
so  far  as  books  are  concerned,  but  better  informc<l  in  some  special  art  or  trade. 
Theory  and  practice  are  brought  together;  each  helps  the  other.  Distinguished  sci- 
entists admit  that  they  are  in<lebted  to  this  association  for  informatiuu  of  a  prac- 
tical character,  probably  not  obtainable  otherwise. 

I  need  not  say  that  all  this  is  in  keeping  with  Franklin's  ideas  in  ed- 
ucation; it  is  the  junto  in  science.  Perhaps  no  better  ilinstration  of 
the  work  of  the  Institute  can  be  given  than  to  present  the  proceedings 
ot  one  of  its  stated  meetings. 

.    THE  FRANKLIN  INSTITUTK. 
[Preeeediaga  of  the  stated  meeting  held  Wednesday,  October  19,  1892.] 

Hali.  ok  TiiK  Frank  MX  Institutk, 

Philadelphia,  October  19,  189t. 
Mr.  Henry  R.  Heyl  in  the  chair. 
Present,  190  members  and  22  visitors. 
Additions  to  membership  since  last  report,  5. 


188  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

TIjc  secretary  reported  the  resiguatioii,  from  the  committee  ou  science  and  the 
arts,  of  Dr.  George  A.  Kouuig.     An  election  was  ordered  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
.     Mr.   Shaw  nominated  Mr.  F.  M.  Jacqnith;  Prof.  Rondinella  nominated  Mr.  Y. 
Lynwood  Garrison.     Mr.  Garrison  received  '12  votes,  and  Mr.  Jacqnith  12.     Mr.  Gar- 
rison was  acconliugly  declared  elected. 

Mr.  F.  E.  Ives  read  a  jjaper  descriptive  of  the  principles  of  construction  and  oper- 
ation of  the  hellochromoscope,  a  new  oi»tical  instrument  of  his  invention  for  the 
reproduction  of  natural  colors  in  jihotography.  The  speaker  at  the  close  of  the 
meeting  exhibited  a  photograph  of  a  bouquet  of  natural  flowers  in  the  apparatus, 
by  means  of  which  the  natural  colors  of  the  objectswere  very  faithfully  reproduced. 
Mr.  Ives's  paper  was  discussed  by  Messrs.  Goldschmidt,  FuUerton,  Cooper,  and  the 
secretary.     The  paper  was  referred  for  publication. 

Mr.  S.  Y.  Buckman  described  an  automatic  tin-plate  machine  of  his  invention,  and 
in  connection  therewith  gave  a  sketch  of  the  present  state  of  the  art  of  making  tin 
plates.  The  machine  of  Mr.  Buckman  ta.kes  the  pickled  sheets  (which  are  longer 
than  those  used  in  the  usual  method  of  hand-dipping),  and  successively  and  con- 
tinuously performs  the  operations  of  scouring,  drying,  joining,  fluxing,  and  coating, 
and  turns  out  the  product  in  a  continuous  strip  of  terneplate  of  any  desired  length. 
(Referred  for  publication.) 

Mr.  W.  E.  Lockwood  described  the  Boyer  railway  speed  recorder  and  an  improved 
smoke  and  spark-consuming  device  in  locomotive  practice. 

The  secretary  in  his  monthly  report  referred  to  the  present  condition  of  the  Nic- 
aragua Canal  enterprise,  and  i)resented  an  abstract  of  the  proceedings  of  the  recent 
national  Nicaragua  Canal  convention,  held  at  St.  Louis,  in  which  the  project  was 
cordially  indorsed. 

Mr.  Shaw  moved  that  the  president  be  empowered  to  appoint  a  committee  of 
three  to  confer  with  a  similar  committee  to  be  named  by  the  Manufacturers'  Club, 
with  the  object  of  preparing  a  statement  embodying  the  views  of  the  two  bodies  for 
transmission  to  the  Department  of  State.     Carried. 

Adjourned. 

Wm.  H.  Wahl,  Secretary. 

The  journal  at  present  numbers  132  volumes,  1820-1892,  and  is  a  most 
valuable  record  of  tlie  progress  of  science  during  the  last  half  century 
in  this  country.  Before  the  meetings  of  the  Institute  are  read  papers 
on  important  scientific  and  technical  subjects,  which  are  discussed,  and 
if  of  unusual  interest  are  publishetl.'     The  educational  work  of  the  In- 

Bulletins  of  the  Franklin  Institute:  Franklin  Institute  Announcement  and  Pro- 
gramme of  Lectures,  1892-'93. 

The  Report  of  the  27th  Exhibition  of  American  Manufactures,  held  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  October  6  to  November  12,  1874,  by  the  Franklin  Institute,  Philadjel- 
phia,  1874. 

Official  Catalogue  of  the  International  Electrical  Exhibition,  Franklin  Institute, 
1884. 

Commemorative  Exercises  at  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Franklin  Institute, 
Philadelphia,  1874. 

Proceedings  of  the  Chemical  Section,  Franklin  Institute,  Vol.  ii,  1890. 

Proceedings  of  the  Electrical  Section  «f  the  Franklin  Institute,  Philadelphia, 
1892 

Index  of  Reports  of  the  Committee  on  Science  and  the  Arts,  1834-1890,  published 
by  the  Franklin  Institute,  Philadelphia,  1890. 

The  Journal  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  July,  1892. 

Bulletins  of  the  Franklin  lu.stitute,  1892. 

Franklin  Institute  Announcement  and  Programme  of  Lectures,  1892-'93. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  189 

stitute  has  recently  been  the  subject  of  exhaustive  examiuation  by  the 
Hon.  W.  T.  Harris,  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  and  is 
set  forth  by  him  in  his  Eeport.'  When,  in  1824,  the  charter  for  the 
Franklin  Institute  was  obtained,  the  name  of  Franklin  naturally  sug 
gested  itself  as  the  fittest  to  describe  the  purpose  of  the  founding  of 
the  institute.  Of  its  founders,  Prof.  Keating,  professor  of  chemistry  in 
the  tJniversity  of  Pennsylvania  at  that  time,  was  perhaps  foremost, 
and  demonstrated  that  the  Franklin  Institute  owes  its  existence  to  the 
labors  of  men  who,  as  professors  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
were  well  qualified  to  lay  the  foundation  of  such  a  noble  work.  While 
the  Franklin  Institute  is  not  an  offshoot  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, it  was  founded  by  University  men,  and  has  always  enrolled  in 
its  professional  staft"  and  among  its  most  active  members  eminent 
scientists  connected  Avith  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  I  might  say 
that  the  Institute  has  always  pursued  the  methods  laid  down  by  Frank 
Im  in  its  scientific  researches,  methods  which,  however  varying,  may  be 
called  comparative.  To-day  the  medal  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  whose 
design  is  a  bust  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  is  given  in  recognition  of  the 
most  vahiable  discoveries  .and  inventions,  and  to  receive  it  is  to  receive 
the  highest  authoritative  recogirition  of  merit  that  can  be  obtained  in 
this  country. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Franklin  drew  up  a  plan  for  improving 
the  condition  of  the  free  blacks,  and  also  for  the  instruction  and  care 
of  orphan  children.^  These  are  to  be  found  in  the  "  Hints  for  Considera 
tion  Respecting  the  Orphan  School  Houses  in  Philadelphia,"  and  in  his 
letter  to  Washington  concerning  the  education  of  the  children  of  the 
free  blacks.  It  was  Stephen  Girard,  who  by  will,  in  the  year  183(), 
first  made  provision  in  Philadeli)hia  for  the  education  of  orphans  by 
providing  that  $2,000,000  should  be  applied  and  expended  in  erecting 
a  permanent  college,  "sufficiently  spacious  for  the  residence  and  ac- 
commodation of  at  least  300  scholars  and  the  requisite  teachers  and 
other  persons  necessary  in  such  an  institution."     He  provided  that — 

As  many  poor  white  male  orphans  between  the  ages  of  6  and  10  years  ns  the  said 
income  shall  be  udoqiiato  to  maintain  shall  bo  introdnced  into  the  college  as  soon 
as  possible;  and  from  time  to  time,  as  there  may  be  vacancies,  or  as  increased  ability 
from  income  may  warrant,  others  shall  be  introduced. 

On  application  for  admission  a  correct  statement  should  be  taken  in 
a  book  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  the  name,  birthplace,  age,  health, 
condition  as  to  relatives,  and  other  particulars  useful  to  be  known  of 
each  orphan. 

No  orphan  can  be  admitted  until  the  guardians  or  directors  of  the 
poor,  or  the  proper  guardian  or  other  competent  authority,  shall  l>e 

'  See  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education,  1890-'91. 

2  Spark's  Life  and  Writings  of  Franklin,  Vol.  ii,  p.  513.  Idem,  p.  159,  Hints  for 
Consideration  Respecting  the  Orphan  School  Houses  in  Philadelphia. 


190  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

given  for  the  entire  relinquishment  or  otherwise  adequate  power  to  the 
mayor,  aldenuen,  and  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  or  to  the  directors,  or  to 
others  by  them  appointed,  to  enforce  in  relation  to  each  orphan  every 
proper  restraint,  and  to  prevent  relatives  or  others  from  interfering 
with  or  withdrawing  such  orphans  from  the  institution. 

Preference  must  be  given,  "first,  to  orphans  born  in  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia; secondly,  to  those  born  in  any  other  part  of  Pennsylvania; 
thirdly,  to  those  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and,  lastly,  to  those 
born  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans." 

The  orphans  admitted  into  the  college  sliall  be  there  fed  with  plain  but  wholesome 
food,  clothed  with  plain  but  decent  apparel  (no  distinctive  dress  ever  to  be  worn), 
and  lodged  in  plain  but  saft;  manner.  Due  regard  shall  bo  paid  to  their  health,  and 
to  this  end  their  persons  and  clothes  shall  bo  kept  clean,  and  they  shall  have  suita- 
ble rational  exercise  and  recreation. 

They  shall  be  instructed  in  the  various  branches  of  a  sound  education,  compre- 
hending reading,  writing,  grammar,  arithmetic,  geography,  navigation,  surveying, 
practical  mathematics,  astronomy,  natural,  chemical,  and  experimental  jilulosophy, 
the  French  and  Spanish  languages  (I  do  not  forbid,  but  I  do  not  recommend,  the  Greek 
and  Latin  languages),  and  sucli  other  learning  and  science  as  the  capacities  of  the 
several  scholars  may  merit  or  warrant. 

I  would  have  them  taught  fact«  and  things  rather  than  words  and  signs.  And 
especially  I  desire  that  by  every  proper  means  a  pure  attachment  to  our  republican 
institutions  and  to  the  sacred  rights  of  conscience,  as  guaranteed  by  our  happy  con- 
stitutions, shall  be  formed  and  fostered  in  the  minds  of  the  scholars. 

My  desire  is  that  all  the  instructors  and  teachers  in  the  college  shall  take  pains  to 
instill  into  the  minds  of  the  scholars  the  various  principles  of  morality,  so  that  on 
their  entrance  into  active  life  they  may,  from  inclination  and  habit,  evince  benevo- 
lence towards  their  fellow-creatures,  and  a  love  of  truth,  sobriety,  and  industry, 
a<lopting  at  the  same  time  such  religious  tenets  .as  their  mature  reason  may  enable 
them  to  prefer. 

Under  the  terms  of  this  will  the  college  buildings  were  begun  in  1834 
and  finished  in  1847.  The  institution  was  opened  for  pupils  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  Girard  estate  is  under  the  care  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  City  Trusts  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  31st  ot  December, 
1891,  it  was  reported  that  Girard  College,  ground  and  buildings,  had 
cost  $3,250,000,  and  that  the  total  expenditure  for  the  college  for  the 
current  year  was  $453,247.20. 

Academic  work  at  Girard  College  is  performed  by  instructors  selected 
with  the  utmost  care,  and  wherever  possible,  after  competitive  examina- 
tions. The  boys  are  well  clothed  and  fed,  carefully  looked  after  in 
sickness  by  skillful  physicians  and  compet:ent  nurses,  and  are,  with 
rare  exceptions,  happy  and  contented. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1891 ,  there  were  in  the  college  1,580  boys,  as 
many  as  can  be  jic<;ommodated  or  maintained  with  the  present  iiuorae. 

The  total  number  of  admissions  from  the  opening  of  the  college  in 
1848  to  the  3l8t  of  December,  1891,  was  4,720.  They  leave  at  the  age 
of  18  years,  or  younger,  and  their  record  during  the  last  forty-four 
years  is  highly  creditable  to  the  managers  of  the  institution. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  191 

President  Fetterolf,  in  his  reiwrt  for  December  31,  1891,  says: 

In  the  work  of  training  the  hoys  of  Girard  College,  the  opportnnitiffl  are  many 
and  the  difticiilties  not  few.  Wo  have  the  entire  control  of  t!io  hoy.  We  have  liini 
during  liis  honrs  of  play,  as  well  as  during  his  hours  of  work  and  study.  He  Hpends 
his  Sundays  with  us  as  well  as  his  week  days,  and  in  most  cases  the  greater  part  of 
bis  vacations. 

He  loses  the  benefit  of  the  hoin«  surroundings.  The  softening,  rotiuing,  and  ele- 
vating influence  of  the  family  fireside  can  not  exist  except  in  the  home.  To  makeup 
for  this,  as  far  as  possible,  is  our  highest  aim.  The  boy  in  the  institution  missefl  the 
thoughtful  commendations  which,  in  the  family,  would  come  to  him  on  his  daily  re- 
turn from  school,  as  well  as  the  thousand  little  words,  tokens,  and  offices  of  affection 
which  the  members  of  the  family  are  naturally  accustomed  to  give.  In  the  instita- 
tion  boys  are  taught  some  lessons  not  always  incsiilcated  in  the  family,  such  as  punctu- 
ality, prompt  obedience,  habits  of  system  and  order.  In  so  larg(!  a  conmiunitj  of 
boys  as  wo  have  in  Girard  College,  there  is  also  taught  self-reliance  and  independ- 
ence. •  Living  always  among  so  many,  and  mingling  with  others  of  <lifrerent  age, 
size,  and  disposition,  they  are  early  taught  many  lessons  in  bearing  and  forbearing, 
such  as  the  boy  reared  in  the  private  family  has  to  learn  later  in  life. 

The  president  feels  that  his  position  is  tliat  of  the  head  of  a  large  family  nn  well 
as  principal  of  a  great  school,  and  as  suchiie  aims  to  make  the  government  parental 
rather  than  military,  on  the  principle  that  ho  governs  best  who  appears  to  govern 
least.  He  dt^sii'es  that  the  teachers  and  offtcers,  in  the  discharge  of  their  daily  cluties, 
should  mingle  with  the  Imys  as  elder  members  of  the  family,  whose  presence  implies 
respect,  confidence,  and  obedience.  There  should  be  mutual  sympathy,  each  having 
in  mind  the  best  interests  ami  welfare  of  the  other,  and  the  result  would  Ije  order 
and  general  good  discipline,  without  having  the  boy  constantly  feel  that  he  is  being 
governed.  So  long  as  there  are  oHeiises,  there  must  be  penalties;  but  we  look  upon 
punishments  of  any  kind  as  a  temporary  check,  rather  than  iia  a  means  of  reform. 
Reformation  is  brought  about  by  jjersonal  appeal,  by  the  power  of  correct  example, 
and  by  any  other  means  by  which  there  is  implanted  in  the  boy  a  «lesire  for  a  better 
life.  Moral  delinquencies  arc  generally  the  result  of  moral  disorders,  which,  like 
physical  disorders,  require  individual  treatment. 

Much  is  said  nowadays  in  criticism  cf  institution  life,  and  with  much  of  it  we 
fully  agree.  Every  intelligent  person  will  admit  that  a  g<)od  home  is  a  fietter  place 
for  a  child  than  the  best  institution.  Neither  does  the  institution  aim  to  be  the  rival 
of,  or  to  take  the  place  of,  the  family.  It  is  only  when  the  family  is  broken  np  and 
the  child  deprived  of  its  natural  protectors  by  death  or  otherwi.se,  and  the  state  or 
charity  must  come  to  his  relief,  that  the  institution  l»ecome8  an  expedient.  It  should 
bo  remembered,  too,  that  life  in  the  family,  in  the  institution,  and  in  the  community 
depends  very  much  upon  the  environment,  upon  the  spirit  which  pervades,  upon  the 
companions  and  friends  the  child  meets.  If,  in  the  family,  the  father  and  mother 
and  adult  members  are  harsh,  cold,  and  unsympathi/ing,  there  will  be  neither  happy 
childhood  nor  healthy  development  of  character.  If,  in  the  institution,  the  govern- 
ment and  instniition  are  in  tho  hands  of  men  and  women  of  intelligence,  judgment, 
and  force  of  character,  and  the  children  are  jiroteeted  from  the  corrupting  influence 
of  evil  companions,  tliey  may  bo  expected  to  grow  up  to  be  truthful,  honorable,  and 
pure-minded.  The  most  potent  influences  in  tho  formation  of  character  are  example 
and  association.  The  young  can  not  live  in  the  presence  of  sin  for  any  length  of 
time  and  remain  untainted;  they  can  not  breathe  an  atmosphere  of  evil  and  remain 
pure.  It  is  for  reasons  such  as  these  that  we  should  remove  from  (Jirard  College 
the  vicious,  the  incorrigible,  and  tlio  immoral.  Evil  communications  corrupt  goo«l 
manners.  Tho  politic,  like  tho  body  corporat-e,  can  only  l»c  kept  in  a  healthful  con- 
dition by  removing  contagious  evils.  No  institution,  no  school  can  aflbrd  to  keep 
bad  boys.    They  sow  corrupting  seed,  which  spreatls  rapidly  like  a  noxious  weed. 


192  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

t 

The  incorrigible  boy  should  not  be  neglected,  but  he  should  be  separately  provided 
for.  To  permit  him  to  mingle  with  other  boys,  young  and  innocent,  is  unwise  and 
unjust.  Fortunately,  the  will  of  the  founder  is  clear  and  explicit  in  its  provisions 
on  this  point. 

Tlie  course  of  study  in  the  college  covers  eiglit  years.  It  is  divided 
into  the  instruction  of  the  first,  the  second,  the  third,  and  the  fourth 
schools,  the  department  of  English,  the  department  of  French,  the  de- 
l)artment  of  Spanish,  the  department  of  natural  history,  the  depart- 
ment of  general  physics,  the  department  of  general  mathematics,  and 
the  department  of  graphics.  In  1891  the  depprtment  of  electrical  me 
chanics  was  opened,  to  which  the  older  and  more  advanced  pupils  of 
the  several  classes  attending  the  mechanical  school  are  admitted.  This 
new  department  is  in  reality  a  department  of  maiuuil  training;  the 
course  in  manual  instruction  covers  a  period  of  five  years  and  to  the 
pupils  who  have  spent  three  or  four  years  in  Avood  working,  metal 
working,  foundry  and  mechanical  drawing,  the  electrical  department 
opens  a  new  and  practical  field.  Of  the  manual  training  school  in  the 
college  President  Fetterolf  says : 

Our  manual  training  school  is  serving  an  important  mission  in  teaching  boys  a 
proper  conception  of  manual  labor.  The  children  of  the  laboring  classes  have  born 
and  bred  in  them  a  distaste  for  manual  labor.  Their  fathers,  and  in  some  cases  their 
mothers,  have  had  to  struggle  hard  to  make  a  living  in  tUe  sphere  of  common  labor, 
and  they  have  in  their  minds  only  the  dark  side  of  the  workingman's  lot.  The  sons 
of  workingmen,  as  a  class,  have  no  love  for  mechanical  pursuits.  They  prefer  the 
so-called  genteeler  occupations  of  the  countinghouse  or  salesroom.  The  principal 
of  the  Philadelphia  Manual  Training  School  states  that  less  than  10  per  cent  of  the 
boys  and  young  men  attending  that  institution  are  the  sons  of  artisans.  To  over- 
come this  prejudice,  and  to  teach  boys  to  see  in  manual  labor  opportunities  for  the 
exercise  of  skill  and  intelligence,  is  no  small  part  of  the  work  of  the  teacher  of  man- 
ual training. 

The  course  of  study  reminds  one  of  the  sketch  for  an  English  school 
outlined  by  Franklin.  Probably  no  school  in  existence  conforms  more 
closely  to  Franklin's  idea  of  preparatory  education  than  Girard  College; 
it  is  not  known  that  Stephen  Girard  was  influenced  particularly  by 
P'ranklin's  ideas  in  education.  William  Duane,  who  drew  Girard's  will^ 
was  a  grandson  of  Franklin,  and  it  may  be  possible  that  the  kind  of 
education  which  Girard  sought  to  foster  in  his  college  may  have  been 
made  clear  to  him  by  his  conversations  with  Duane.  There  is  noth- 
ing on  record,  so  far  as  we  know,  that  will  enable  us  to  trace  any  close 
<onnection  between  the  ideas  of  Franklin  and  the  ideas  of  Girard. 
There  is,  however,  the  influence  of  environment,  and  Girard,  consciously 
or  unconsciously,  shows  the  effect  of  that  influence  in  the  great  institu- 
tion which  he  founded. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Girard  limited  the  benefits  of  his  generous 
foundations  to  white  male  orphans;  as  yet  no  similar  institution  exists 
in  which  children  of  the  African  race  can  receive  their  education.  We 
think,  had  Franklin  been  planning  Girard  College,  he  would  not  have 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  m^ 

excluded  any  race  from  the  beuefltsof  its  instruction.    In  Mr.  Coleman 
Seller's  address,  already  referred  to,  he  said : 

Our  common-school  education  gives  us  trad.cts,  kIvph  us  shopkeepcrH,  but  it  given 
U8  no  artisans.  I  know  not  if  this  can  be  remedied,  but  I  do  know  we  need  some 
other  training  for  our  sons  and  our  daughters. 

Since  this  was  spoken  in  1874  the  city  of  Philadelphia  has  established 
manual  training  schools;  at  present,  three  in  nnmber. 

The  Central  Mannal  Training  School  was  organized  in  188.5,  theNorth- 
East  Manual  Training  School  in  October,  1890,  and  the  James  Forten 
Elementery  Manual  Training  School  in  October,  1891.  These  schools  are 
part  of  the  publico  school  system  of  Philadelphia,  and  are  maintained 
by  public  Jftxation.  The  course  of  study  in  the  Central  Manual  Train- 
ing School  is  distributed  over  three  years,  with  an  optional  fourth. 
These  schools  are,  perhaps,  of  chiefest  historical  interest  in  this  place, 
when  we  consider  the  ideas  of  education  suggested  by  Franklin  and  by 
John  Adams.  They  are  the  first  schools  which  combine  Franklin's  and 
Adams's  ideas — the  instruction  of  the  book  and  industrial  training.  In 
his  order  of  studies  Franklin  provided  a  modern  curriculum  by  which 
the  scholar  passed  from  one  group  of  studies  to  another.  In  the  manual 
training  schools  the  student  approaches  literature,*  history,  and  gov- 
ernment, science  and  mathematics,  alternately  with  drawing  and  shop 
work.  It  has  been  found  by  experience  in  these  schools  that  the  alter- 
nation from  the  shops  (laboratories)  to  the  recitation  rooms  rests  the 
students;  they  are  enabled  to  develop  harmoniously  the  various  facul- 
ties which  they  possess.  The  habit  of  observation  engendered  by  the 
work  in  tlie  shops  is  of  itself  valuable  training,  an«l  is  after  Franklin's 
plan. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  he  did  not  limit  the  scope  of  education  to 
the  preparation  of  artificers.     In  hi.s  plan  for  an  English  school  he  said: 

Tlins  instructed,  youth  -will  come  out  of  this  school  fitted  for  learning  any  busi- 
ness, calling,  or  profes.sion,  except  such  wherein  languages  are  required;  but  un- 
ac(iuainted  with  any  ancient  or  foreign  tongue,  they  will  bo  masters  of  their  owu, 
which  is  of  more  immediate  and  general  use,  and  withal  will  have  attained  many 
other  valuable  accomplishments;  the  time  usually  spent  in  acquiring  those  lan- 
guages, often  without  success,  being  here  employed  in  laying  such  a  foundation  of 
knowledge  and  ability  as,  properly  improve*!,  may  qualify  them  to  pass  through 
and  execute  the  several  offices  of  civil  life  with  advantage  and  reputation  to  them- 
selves and  country. 

Franklin's  ideas  of  education,  basetl  upon  utilitarian  philosophy,  are 
well  illustrated  in  the  public  education  now  aftbrded  in  the  Philadel- 
phia manual  training  schools.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  are  the  out- 
growth of  Franklin's  ideas. 

Heretofore  [says  the  principal  of  the  Central  school]  '  men  have  cultivated  their 
brains  at  the  expense  of  their  hands,  while  those  who  worked  with  their  hands 

•Seventh  Report  of  the  Manual  Training  Schools,  pp.  117, 118,  in  Report  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  Philadelphia,  1892.     Report  of  Principal  W.  L.  Sayre. 

1180 13 


194  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

lackei)  the  opportunity  of  cultivating  their  luimls.  The  busy  world  to-day  demands 
the  combination  of  both,  and  it  is  the  aim  of  the  manual  training  school  to  meet 
this  want. 

The  records  of  tlie  graduates  of  the  school,  as  well  as  of  those  pupils  who  have 
been  under  its  influence  a  shorter  time,  fully  warrant  the  claims  of  the  advocates 
of  manual  training  as  to  its  practical  value  in  gaining  a  livelihood. 

Of  the  263  graduates,  fully  70  per  cent  are  engaged  in  those  industrial  pursuits 
in  which  a  high  order  of  intelligence  as  well  as  skill  of  hand  is  required.  They 
are  variously  engaged  as  electricians,  architects,-chemi8ts,  dentists,  draftsmen,  en- 
gineers, makers  of  optical  and  mathematical  instruments,  plumbers,  machinists, 
carpenters,  etc.  Twenty-five  per  cent  are  in  higher  institutions  of  learning,  and 
the  remaining  6  per  cent  are  in  business  for  themselves  or  with  their  parents,  or  are 
engaged  as  clerks  or  bookkeepers. 

The  boys  who  have  completed  its  course  of  study  are  equipped  as 
builders,  engineers,  founders,  machinists,  architects,  designers,  manu- 
facturers, electricians,  draftsmen,  road  builders,  contractors,  chem 
ists,  plumbers,  lithographers,  snperintendents  of  manufacturing  i^lants, 
stationers  and  engravers,  etc. ;  while  many  are  engaged  in  the  study  of 
law  and  of  medicine,  and  of  civil  and  mining  engineering.  Manual 
training  is  in  its  course  of  development,  and  doubtless  will  m  time  as- 
sume a  definite  pl^ce  in  the  educational  programme  of  the  country.  As 
has  been  said,  it  illustrates  a  happy  combination  of  the  ideas  of  Frank- 
lin which  tended  toward  the  material  education  of  artificers  and  of 
men  who  would  know  facts  and  things  rather  than  signs  and  words, 
and  the  education  of  the  mere  book  man,  whose  knowledge  of  philo- 
sophical principles  is,  perhaps,  less  likely  to  supply  him  with  bread  and 
butter. 

The  Philadelphia  manual  training  schools  are  the  most  perfectly 
equipped  of  any  in  the  country  which  are  under  the  control  of  the 
directors  of  the  public  schools.  Plappily,  there  is  no  discrimination  in 
them  against  persons  of  any  race  or  color;  they  are  free  public  schools, 
and  are  carrying  out  the  educational  ideas  of  Franklin ;  if  we  under- 
stand his  ideas  correctly,  he  would  favor  that  expenditure  of  money  in 
the  education  of  the  masses  which  will  enable  them  to  earn  their  living, 
to  be  industrious  and  practical,  and  who  may,  by  such  education,  be 
qualified  to  ''pass  through  and  execute  the  several  ofiSces  of  civil  life 
witli  advantage  and  reputation  to  then- selves  and  country."' 

Of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  the  greater  part  of  this  book  is  the 
record,  and  the  special  papers  describing  the  origin,  growth,  and  char- 
acter of  its  various  departments,  carefully  prepared  by  men  eminently 
f|ualitied,  set  forth  the  history  of  that  institution  clearly  and  adequately; 
it  fulfills  Franklin's  idea  of  education. 

The  Provost  of  the  University,  Dr.  William  Pepper,  has  briefly  arid 
comprehensively  stated  the  scope  of  the  University^  and  the  history  of 
the  institution  and  of  its  several  schools  and  departments  is  related  by 


'Conclusion  of  Franklin's  paper  on  the  intention  of  the  original  founders  of  the 
academy  in  Philadelphia  June,  1789;  supra. 
'Chapter  III. 


WILLIAM  PEPPER.  M.  D..LL.  D..  PROVOST  OF  THE  UXITERSITY. 

1881 -. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  195 

eminent  scholars  identified  with  its  work.  In  these  papers  may  be 
found  the  history  of  the  first  medical  schof)!  in  America/ of  the  first 
law  schools,^  of  the  origin  of  our  now  conunon  four  years'  collegiate 
course,  of  the  first  school  of  finance  and  political  economy,^of  the  first 
school  founded  to  investigate  the  laws  of  health,*  of  the  first  s(;hool  of 
American  history  and  institutions,*  established  in  the  University  in 
which  Franklin  stated  the  course  of  study  should  be  one  adapted  "  to 
such  a  country  as  our  own "  and  of  othet.  schools  and  departments 
equally  important  established  and  developed  with  ever  increasing  in- 
fluence throughout  the  country.  l!fot  only  do  these  papers  show  the 
academic  history  of  the  University,  but  also  its  relations  to  the  city  of 
Philadelphia"  and  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.'  The  entire  life  history 
of  this  venerable  institution  is  here  faithfully  told." 

The  University  during  the  last  twelve  years  has  bT'eu  developed  in 
the  various  lines  according  to  Franklin's  original  ideas  and  has  more 
perfeptly  realized  the  large  conceptions  of  its  founder.  It  is  interesting 
historically  to  observe  the  conformity  of  modern  educational  methods 
and  plans  to  the  plans  and  methods  practiced  or  suggested  ^y  Franklin 
in  the  eighteenth  century.  He  was  generatif>ns  ahead  of  his  time.  The 
University  is  conspicuously  among  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  and  I  can 
not  conclude  this  sketch  of  Franklin  as  an  educator  in  a  more  fitting 
way  than  to  give  the  history  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  more 
particularly  during  the  last  decade,  showing  how  the  institution  in  its 
multitudinous  development  has  conformed  to  the  living  wants  of  the 
times  and  has  been,  and  is,  the  realization  of  the  University  idea. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1881,  Dr.  William  Pepper  was  inaugurate<l 
Provost  of  the  University.  Dr.  Pepper  was  born  in  Phihulelphia, 
August  21,  1843,  the  son  of  Dr.  William  Pepper,  a  distinguished  physi- 
cian who  held  the  chair  of  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  in  the  Uni- 
versity from  1860  to  1864.  He  graduated  in  the  Department  of  Arts 
in  1862  and  in  medicine  in  1864.  He  entered  at  once  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  in  which  he  has  achieved  the  highest  distinction  both 
as  a  practitioner  and  a  teacher.  In  1868  he  became  lecturer  on  morbid 
anatomy,  lecturer  on  clinical  medicine  in  1870,  professor  of  clinical  med- 
icine in  1876,  and  professor  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  in 
1887.  The  creation  of  the  University  Hospital  in  1872  was  largely  due 
to  his  energetic  jKlvocacy,  his  untiring  diligence,  and  his  execntivo 
ability  as  chairman  of  the  commission  formed  for  that  puriwse,  and 
during  the  successful  accomplishment  of  this  great  work  these  qualities 
became  known  to  the  men  who  were  called  upon  to  select  a  successor 
to  Provost  Stille.    Occupied  as  he  was  with  a  very  large  practice,  with 


■Chapter  VIII.  ^ Chapter  IX.  =» Chapter  XII.  ^Chapter  XIX. 

s Chapter  XVIII.  ^ChapterVI.  ^ChapterV. 

"The  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Uuiversity  by  Mr.  Stewart  brings  the  history  of  the 
institution  to  the  close  of  the  administration  of  Provost  Stille  in  1880.  (See  chapter 
IV.) 


196  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA: 

his  duties  as  a  clinical  professor,  and  with  contributions  to  medical  lit- 
erature, his  acceptance  of  the  provostship  was  a  serious  matter;  only- 
after  the  trustees  had  given  him  assurance  of  the  earnestness  of  their 
support  by  changes  in  the  statutes  which  materially  added  to  the  dig- 
nity and  efficiency  of  the  office  did  he  consent  to  assume  its  responsi- 
bilities. 

The  grand  scheme  of  a  University  proposed  by  Franklin  a  hundred 
and  thirty  years  before  was  only  "  a  proposal  for  the  education  of  youth 
in  Pennsylvania,''  quite  forgotten  and  feebly  executed  in  some  of  its 
parts  till  the  administration  of  Provost  Pepper. 

Perhaps  the  phenomenal  growth  of  the  University  since  1881  is  attrib 
utable  mainly  to  Dr.  Pepper  himself,  whose  mind  and  methods  are  re- 
markably like  the  mind  and  methods  of  Franklin  himself.  A  mind  sci- 
entific in  its  prescience,  accurate  in  its  application,  with  reserved  powers 
seemingly  inexhaustible,  serene  in  difficulties ;  boldly  original  and  prac- 
tical in  action ;  with  methods  founded  on  a  profound  knowledge  of  hu- 
man nature ;  possessing  the  confidence  of  the  community  and  using  that 
support  as  a  powerful  educational  fulcrum ;  himself  foremost  in  gener- 
ous gifts  to  the  University^  and  inspiring  a  life  in  the  institution  which 
it  had  never  known  before.  Dr.  Pepper  since  the  moment  of  his  sue 
cession  to  the  provostship  has  wrought  a  unification  and  an  organiza- 
tion of  the  University  which  is  the  concrete  expression  and  the  academic 
proof  of  the  profound  sagacity  of  Benjamin  Franklin's  plans  for  a  Uni- 
versity. 

This  vast  work  of  unification  and  organization  has  progressed  system 
atically,  quietly,  and  efficiently.  It  has  known  but  one  end  and  aim, 
the  total  efficiency  of  the  University.  Vast  sums  of  money  have  been 
collected  and  expended  in  buildings,  faculties  have  been  organized, 
special  schools  have  been  founded,  and  innumerable  accessories,  tribu- 
taries, and  parts,  related  in  various  ways  to  the  University  organiza- 
tion now  comprise  a  functional  whole — the  University. 

IVIuch  of  the  brilliant  success  of  Provost  Pepper's  administration  has 
been  due  to  the  unfailing  and  cordial  support  of  the  trustees  and  of  the 
professors  in  all  departments.  Especial  recognition  should  be  given  to 
the  earnest  and  successful  labors  of  the  deans  of  the  various  depart- 
ments. The  office  of  dean  has  been  promoted,  at  Dr.  Pepper's  especial 
request,  to  one  of  much  greater  dignity  and  authority  than  formerly. 

When  it  was  found,  in  1881,  that  in  spite  of  the  great  influence  of  the 
late  Mr.  John  Welsh,  then  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  AVays  and 
Means,  and  of  the  activity  of  Provost  Stille,  the  enlarged  operations  of 
the  University,  during  the  date  of  1871  to  1881,  had  resulted  in  an  ac- 
cumulated floating  debt  of  (»ver  $450,000,  it  required  rare  courage  to 
decide  upon  the  continuance  of  a  progressive  and  liberal  policy.  The 
result  has  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  decision.  When,  in  1886,  Mr. 
Welsh  died,  Mr.  Charles  C.  Harrison,  who  had  been  a  member  of  the 
Board  since  1876,  was  unanimously  chosen  to  succeed  him  as  Chairman 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  197 

of  the  Committee  on  Ways  afid  Means.  Mr.  Harrison  is  a  gi-aduate  of 
the  college  department  (class  of  1862),  and  from  the  time  of  his  election 
as  a  trustee  had  manifested  the  strongest  interest  in  the  work  and  pros 
perity  of  the  University,  and  had  rendered  effective  service  in  several 
of  vthe  standing  committees.  In  the  higlily  responsible  position  of 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  he  lias  lK*eu  unspar- 
ing in  time,  thought,  and  labor,  in  guarding  the  financial  interests  of 
the  institution,  and  in  aiding  to  provide  the  resources  for  each  of  its 
progressive  movements.  His  active  interest  and  large  social  influen(;e 
have  also  had  a  far  wider  range.  In  nearly  every  enterprise,  whether 
of  education  or  beneficence,  which  has  marked  these  years  of  activity, 
he  has  been  a  participant  and  an  influential  adviser. 

The  formal  statement  of  millions  collected  and  spent,  of  professors 
^elected,  of  buildings  erected,  of  courses  newly  arranged,  of  departments 
strengthened,  or  organization  conducing  to  the  welfare  of  the  University 
perfected,  fails  to  present  the  living  power  of  the  University  to-day 
which  characterizes  its  work  and  its  service;  since  1881  it  has  divided 
public  attention  with  the  three  older  colleges  of  the  country. 

In  1884  the  academic  council  was  established,  consisting  of  all  the 
faculties,  "  which  shall  be  convened  by  the  Provost  to  consider  ques- 
tions relative  to  the  general  interests  of  the  University." 

The  Faculty  in  Philosophy,  organized  in  1882,  conducts  postgraduate 
studies,  and  is  composed  out  of  the  various  departmental  faculties,  in 
the  same  year  the  Central  Committee  of  the  Alumni  was  created,  to 
which  is  granted  the  power  of  nomination  of  trustees  on  occasion  of 
every  third  vacancy. 

The  ceaseless  activity  of  Provost  Pepper  is  suggested  by  the  found- 
ing and  equipment  since  1881  of  the  following  departments  or  scliools: 

(1 )  The  Department  of  Finance  and  Economy'  (The  Wharton  School), 
1881. 

(2)  The  Department  of  Philosophy,  (Graduate),*  1883. 

(3)  The  Department  (School)  of  Veterinary  Medicine,'  1882i 

(4)  The  Department  (School)  of  Biology,*  1883. 

(5)  The  Department  of  Physical  Education,*  1883. 

(6)  The  Department  of  Archieology  and  Palaeontology ,«  1889. 

(7)  The  Department  (School)  of  Hygiene,'  1891. 

(8)  The  Department  for  Women  (Graduate  School),^  1891. 

(9)  The  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions,'  1891. 

(10)  The  School  of  Architecture,'"  1891. 

(11)  The  School  for  Nurses  in  the  University  Hospital,"  188H. 

(12)  The  Veterinary  Hospital,'^  1883. 

(13)  The  Marine  Laboratory  at  Sea  Isle  City,'^  1891. 


Chapter  XII.  ^Chapttr  XVII.  'Chapter  XV.  ^  Chapter  XIII. 

» Chapter  XVI.  '•  Chapter  XX.  '  Chapter  XIX. 

«  dhapter  XXI.  »  Chapter  XVIII.  '"  Chapter  XXIII. 

'  1  Chapter  XIV .  Chapter  XV.  ' '  Chapter  X  III . 


198  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

(14)  The  Wistar  lustitute  of  Anatomy  and  Biology,  1892;  and  the 
University  Library  building,^  and  extensive  collections  in  archaeology, 
and  in  special  libraries,  1891. 

Of  these  departments,  those  numbered  3,  4,  7,  8,  12,  13,  and  14  have 
buildings  erected  since  1881,  and  costing  in  the  aggregate,  with  tlieir 
respective  material  equipments,  above  $850,000. 

In  addition  to  this  departmental  enlargement  of  the  University  dur- 
ing this  time  new  courses  have  been  created: 

(1)  In  the  College  Department,  Courses  in  Natural  History  and  in 
Architecture.^ 

(2)  In  the  Law  School,  courses  in  law,  constituting  a  Postgraduatr 
Department.^ 

(3)  The  course  of  the  Medical  School  has  been  extended  t-o  four  years, 
to  take  effect  in  1893 — by  action  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  February  2,^ 
1892.''    This  important  action  was  secured  by  the  personal  effort  of 
Provost  Pepper,  who  personally  contributed  ^50,000  to  the  endowment 
fund  needed  for  the  sure  establishment  of  the  advanced  curriculum. 

(4)  The  Dental  courses  have  been  extended  to  three  years,  by  action 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  January  7,  1890.^ 

(5)  The  course  in  the  Law  School  has  been  extended  to  three  years. 

All  these  organic  changes  have  increased  the  efficiency  of  the  Uni- 
versity, but  that  efficiency  has  been  still  further  increased  by  the  crea- 
tion of  several  cooperative  associations  composed  partly  of  trustees  and 
officers  of  the  University  and  partly  of  other  citizens.  These  associa- 
tions are: 

(1)  The  University  Lecture  Association,  established  in  1887,  through 
which  eminent  lecturers  are  secured,  often  at  large  cost,  and  their  lec- 
tures made  accessible  to  the  students,  and,  on  payment  of  a  small  fee, 
to  the  general  public. 

(2)  The  University  Archaeological  Association,  established  in  1889, 
whose  membership  is  active  in  adding  to  the  Museum  of  Arclueology 
specimens  in  the  American,  Babylonian,  and  Egyptian  departments, 
and  in  promoting  research  and  publications  on  the  arclueology  of  these 
several  fields. 

(3)  The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Veterinary  Hospital,  wliose  fuiic 
tious  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Board  of  the  Medical  Hospital. 

(4)  The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Graduate  School  for  Women,  organ- 
ized in  1890. 

(5)  The  admission  of  women  into  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Uni- 
versity Hospital  in  1890. 

(G)  The  organization  and  associate  administration  of  "The  American 
Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching,"  of  which  Provost 
Pepper  was  the  projector  and  first  President  in  1889,  and  which  is 


'  Chapter  XXII.  « Chapter  XXIII.  » Chapter  IX. 

^ChaptcrVIII.  "^Chiipter  XI. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  199 

chiefly  supplied  with  lecturers  from  the  University  staflf  for  the  very 
extensive  work  in  which  it  is  engaged. 

(7)  Cooperation  with  other  colleges  in  tlie  establishment  in  1887  ot 
the  College  Association  of  the  Middle  States  and  of  Maryland,  an  asso- 
ciation which  has  had  great  influence  in  simplifying  the  work  of  higher 
education  in  these  States. 

During  the  present  administration  the  University  has  won  distinc- 
tion through  the  work  of  members  of  its  faculties  and  its  associates, 
isuch  as — 

(1).  An  extensive  study  of  animal  locomotion  by  means  of  instanta- 
neous pliotography,  undertaken  by  a  commission  at  an  exi)en8e  of 
$35,000,  and  resulting  in  the  publication  of  some  700  large  plates  made 
by  Mr.  Eadweard  Muybridge. 

,  (2)  The  work  and  report  of  the  Seybert  Commission  on  spiritualism, 
published  in  1887. 

(3)  The  organization  and  conduct  by  another  commission  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $45,000  of  an  expedition  to  Babylon,  securing  an  invaluable 
collection  of  inscriptions  for  the  Museum,  the  editing  of  which  is  now 
in  progress,  and  awaited  with  keen  interest  by  students  of  Assyriology. 

(4)  The  support  and  regular  publication  of  University  periodicals, 
issued  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Press,  namely:  The  Uni- 
versity Medical  Magazine,  The  Annals  of  Surgery,  The  Annals  of  Hy- 
giene, The  Annals  of  Gynecology  and  Ptediatiy,  The  Wharton  School 
Annals,  The  University  of  Pennsylvania  Philosophical  Series,  The 
Series  in  Philology,  Literature,  Archaeology,  Botany  and  Zoology. 

(5)  The  organization  of  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social 
Science  by  University  professors,  which  issues  its  "Annals"  bimonthly. 
It  is,  however,  independent  of  the  University. 

(6)  The  Provost's  reports,  the  publication  of  which  was  instituted  by 
Provost  Pepper  in  1883,  which  give  details  of  administnitive  work, 
discussions  of  University  policy,  with  treasurer's  reports  appended. 

(7)  The  introduction  of  seminaries  in  the  Departments  of  Philosophy, 
Social  Science,  Economics,  American  Ilistory  and  Institutions,  in  Eng- 
lish Literature,  Chemistry,  etc. 

(8)  The  Institution  of  the  University  Chaplaincy,  in  1891,  by  the  ap- 
pointment, at  the  Provost's  suggestion,  of  University  chaplains,  chosen 
fi'om  clergymen  of  various  denominations.  One  of  the  chaplains,  the 
Rev.  George  Dana  Boardman,  ll.  d.,  gave  two  winter  courses  of  Sun- 
day afternoon  addresses  in  the  Chapel  of  the  University:  One  on  the 
Ten  Commandments  (1889),  the  other  on  the  Minor  Prophets  (1890). 
The  results  of  this  religious  work  are  eminently  satisfatttory. 

(9)  The  organization  of  "the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association"  for  the  special  advantage  of  college  stu- 
dents. 

Since  1881  more  than  25  acres  of  land,  in  addition  to  that  previously 


200  THE    UNIVERSITV    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

purchased  in  West  Philadelpliia,  have  been  acquired  by  the  University 
as  follows :  ^ 

(1)  A  plot  bounded  by  Woodland  avenu^,  Spruce  street,  Thirty-sixth 
street,  Guardian  avenue,  and  Woodland  Cemetery. 

(2)  A  plot  bounded  by  Woodland  avenue,  Spruce  street.  Thirty-sixth 
street,  and  city  police  station. 

(3)  A  plot  bounded  by  South  street,  the  connecting  railroad,  Marston 
street,  and  Thirty-fourth  street. 

(4)  The  ground  with  buildings  thereon  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Tliirty-fourth  and  South  streets,  as  well  as  a  plot  of  gnjund  for  the 
Marine  Biological  Laboratory  at  Sea  Isle  City,  N.  J. 

The  buildings  erected  during  Dr.  Pepper's  administration  are:^ 

(I)  The  Gibson  wing  (of  the  University  Hospital)  for  Chronic  Dis- 
eases, 1883. 

(2)  The  Nurses'  Home,  1888. 

(3)  The  Veterinary  College,  1883. 

(4)  The  Veterinary  Hospital,  1884. 

(5)  The  Biological  School  building,  1884. 
(C)  The  University  Library  building,  1891. 

(7)  Two  pavilions  for  Maternity  Hospitals,  1888  and  1890. 

(8)  The  Mortuary  Chapel,  1890. 

(9)  The  Marine  Laboratory  at  Sea  Isle  City,  1891. 
(10)  The  Laboratory  (school)  of  Hygiene,  1892. 

(II)  The  Hospital  for  Dogs  and  other  small  animals  on  the  veterinary 
grounds,'  1892. 

(12)  The  Central  Heat  and  Light  Station,  1892. 

(13)  The  Wistar  Institute  of  Anatomy  and  Biology,  1892-'93. 

The  gi'oiind  boun<lf'd  by  Spruce  street,  Thirty-sixth  street,  Pino 
street,  and  Thirty-seventh  street  has  been  devoted  to  athletics,  has 
been  graded,  laid  out,  and  proper  buildings  erected;  and  a  temporary 
restaurant  building  has  been  erected  in  the  rear  of  College  Hall. 

The  increase  in  material  e([uipment  in  the  University  during  the  last 
decade  has  effected  the  teaching  force  and  the  attendance  of  the  Uni- 
versity; since  1881  both  the  number  and  professors  and  instructors 
and  the  number  of  students  has  doubled,  reaching  in  1893  the  number 
of  247  professors  and  instructors,  and  of  2027  students.^ 


'See  accompanying  plan  of  the  University  grounds. 
•See  illustrations  of  these  buildings. 

^A  table  is  appended  showing  teaching  force  and  number  of  students  by  decades, 
beginning  in  1831  and  ending  with  1892-'93. 


tV. 


FRANKLIN  S   IDEAS    IN    KDUCATION. 

I'rofesHon  and  inittructoraJ 


201 


Decade  ending — 

College. 

Medicine. 

Law. 

Dentistry.  .Veterinjurjr. 

Hygltk*. 

Tout 

1831 

0 
7 

10 
13 
16 
22 
81 

9 
7 
11 
10 
14 
47 
106 

1 

IS 
14 

22 

1841 

1851 

1 
3 
3 
5 
11 

::::::: i  ■::": 

1861 

26 

1871 

i 

33 

1881 

23 

97 
2S6 

1892 

36                   21 

3 

' 

Students. 


1831 

125 
116 
95 
140 

187 
287 
614 

410 
410 
466 
465 
330 
436 
845 

1 

S36 

1841 



S9S 

1851 

25 
71 
62 
140 
217- 

8M 

1861 

1871 

S7V 

1881 

109 
153 

•72 

1892 J 

92  1              8 

•2,066 

'Including  92  post-graduate  students  in  residence. 

The  aggregate  value  of  the  grounds  and  buildings  u.sed  by  the 
University  and  belonging  to  it,  exclusive  of  other  realty,  is  about 
$2,500,000;  and  the  approximate  value  of  the  material  equipment  of 
the  various  departments,  including  libraries,  museums,  apparatus,  etc., 
is  about  $600,000,  making  a  total  of  $3,100,000.  The  vested,  funds  of 
the  University  amount  to  $1,000,000,  making  a  grand  total  of  $4,700,000. 

The  benefactions  since  1881  to  the  University  and  its  hospitals  have 
amounted  to  $2,500,000. 

The  greater  part  of  this  total  estate  has  been  obtained  since  1881. 

The  whole  history  of  the  University  now  culminating  in  the  record 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  is  the  conservative  but  living  response 
to  the  large  plan  of  its  founder. 

The  lofty  title  of  University  was  first  used  in  this  countiy  when  in 
1779  it  was  conferred  upon  this  institution  by  the  legislature  of  Penn- 
.sylvania.  It  may  now  be  further  claimed  that  the  exi)erience  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  culminates  in  the  establishment  of  the  fact, 
of  so  much  importance  to  our  American  civilization,  that  oilr  great  cities 
afford  peculiar  advantages  for  the  development  of  universities  of  the 
most  comprehensive  type.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  institutions  are 
now,  as  never  before,  potent  influences  in  conducing  to  wholesome  mu- 
nicipal life.  They  are  centers  of  learning,  of  practical  skill,  and  of  an 
ever-brojidening  culture  among  the  people,  and  the  response  to  their 
wants  is  evident  from  the  splendid  progress  they  are  making  with  the 
aid  of  private  munificence,  nor  is  there  doubt  that  these  institutions 
have  scarcely  more  than  passed  the  threshold  of  their  strength  and 
usefulness. 


'For  the  attendance,  countries    represented,  etc.,  1740-1891,  see  the  sUtistical 
tables. 


202 


THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 


University  of  rennHijlva)tia :  Table  shmcing  atteiidame  from  1740  to  1892,  inclusive. 
[Number  of  countries  and  States,  113;  totals,  C(i,747.] 


State  or  country. 

I- 

o 

2 

1 

1 

1 

00 

I 
oc 

I-l 

i 

T 

CO 

i 

E 

1 

i 

rH 

i 

IH 

1 

■  T 

3 

c 
H 

Alabama  and  Mississippi  . 

4 

6 

61 

2 

230 
14 

363 
41 

326 
49 

20 

24 

1 

10 

21 
23 

""'24 

1 

3 
104 

28 
16 

33 
44 

18 
76 

47 
105 
482 
147 

67 

106 

7 

5,992 

67 
1 

3 

» 

1 

46 
20 
72 

4 

,30 
34 
3 
28 

15 

8 
215 

58 
33 

70 
90 

76 
120 

132 

280 

573 

•    319 

62 

263 

34 

8,763 

76 
1 

2 

17 

1 

50 

28 

131 

72 

1 

15 

22 

45 

3 

6 

27 

32 

6 
4 

8 

1,061 

:::::::; 

181 

! 

4 

1 

:::::: -:-:::i 

1 

Gli 

Coloratlo,    ^Nevada,  and 
L'tab 

10 

iJakotii,  Moiitaua,  Idaho, 

1 
115 

138 

15 
106 

27 
104 

35 

80 

400 

.1 

76 

100 
3 

4,270 

^    87 

12 

1 

20 

25 

43 

9 
52 

104 

22 
163 

128 

58 
198 

70 

59 
202 

84 

44 
144 

J 
261 

59 
134 

3 
124 
195 

647 
88 

97 

31 
99 

6 

218 

43 
76 

6 
48 
211 
45 

555 

7j2 

1,006 

Distrirtof  Columbia(U.  S. 

447 

2 

21 

958 

Iowa,    Kansas,    and    Ne- 

1^5 

13 

1 

83 

1 
286 

115 

5 
185 

87 

45 

221 

93 

441 

3 

45 

30 
100 

20 

46 

236 

88 

483 

25 

159 

54 
110 

2 
111 
173 
123 

542 

64 

1,134 

Loijisiaua,  Texas,  and  In- 

313 

1 

37 

206 

1,434 

Micfcigau,  Minnesota, and 

232 

6 
15 
4 

4 

13 
90 
10 

81 

38 
106 
29 

176 

876 

2,  7tJ2 

1,029 

Xorth  Carolina  and  South 

-     . 

3.  134 

Ohio,   Indiana,    and   Illi- 

721 

1 

44 

171 

158 
3 

443 
216 

510 

- 

367 

1,279 
1.084 

1,669 
1,156 

i,45i 
968 

2,366 

733 
2 

2,482 
344 

29.  .'>54 

Virpiiiia  and    West   Vir- 

5.101 

4 

Ar^entine    Kepublic  and 

1 

2 
1 

8 

Australia  and  Pacific  is- 
lands (/) 

27 

■ 

, 

2 

Brazil 

1      _^ 

4 

4 

42 

1 

100 

lirit  ish  Islos  {g)        

1 

« 

"is 

3 

21 

20 
33 

s! 

6 

46 

1 

91 

399 

78 

China 

1 

1 

■■"1""'" 

1 

1 
1 
4 
2 
2 

12 
4 
3 

10 

38 

j 

1 

2 
1 

39 

1 

63 

, 

- 

5 

1 

1 

8 
9 

4 
12 

9 

35 

Mexico  (3/i)         .         .       .J...  '  ... 

2 

43 

Norway,  Sweden,  andDen-          | 

10 

1 

1 

C 

SvHa    • 

20 

9 

:;;:;;i 

9 

1 

2 
29 

6 

37 

6 
27 

2 
46 

,    6 
KM 

10 
108 

31 

We«t  Indies  (i>) 

1 

1      1 

12 

12 

3 

ii 

390 

Attendance  in    charity 
schools   1740-1876    

1, 

51,565 
15,182 

Total 

66.  747 



' 



(a)  Including  Cherokee  Nation  (6). 

(6)  Including  western  country.  '•  _    " 

(1:)  IncliidiiiK  Maine,  Kew  Hampshire,  Vermont,  MassacliiiKetts,  ConnccHcTit,  and  Rhode  Island. 

(d)  Including  Lil)eria. 

(e)  Including  IJucnos  Ayres. 

(/)  Including  New  Zralaud  and  Sandwich  Islands. 
((/)  Including  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  Wales. 

(h)  Including  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  New  Urunswick,  and  Prime  Kdwanl  I^lamls. 
(i)  Including  Nicaragua,  Guatemala,  and  Co.sta  Kica. 
{*)  Including  Wurfcmberg,  Prussia. 
(TO)  Including  Cohiua. 

(»i)  lucluding  New  Grenada  and  South  America. 

(p)  Including  Bermuda,  Bahamas,  Barbadoes,  Cuba,  Nevis  Islands,  Puerto  Eico,  and  Haiti. 
These  notes  mean  that  in  the  catalogues,  besides  the  names  in  this  list,  there  are  also  the  namas 
used  as  given  in  these  notes. 


franklin's  ideas  in  education.  203 

Notes. — Tlio  number  66,747  means  year's  courses,  and  not  necessarily 
individuals  in  attendance.  Owing  to  the  varying  lengths  of  courses  of 
study  at  times  during  the  history  of  the  University,  two,  three,  four,  five 
years,  it  is  difficult,  if  not  inii>ossible,  to  determine  from  the  records  the 
exact  number  of  individuals  who  have  attended  the  University  from 
1 740  to  1892.  As  equipment  had  to  be  made  during  that  time  for  the 
whole  number  of  students  in  attendance,  wliether  th»^y  remained  for 
entire  or  for  partial  courses,  the  number  above,  66,747,  represents  pra<;- 
t  ically  the  attendance  upon  the  University.  The  charity  sch(K»ls,  out  of 
which  the  University  grew,  as  shown  in  the  chapters  on  Franklin  by 
tl»e  editor,  and  by  the  i)apers  by  Judgt^  Peiuiypacker  and  Mr.  Stewart, 
were  organized  in  1740  and  ceased  in  1876.  From  the  catalogues  extant, 
from  scattering  records,  and  from  conservative  estimates  the  attendance 
ill  them  is  stated  to  be  15,182.  Tliis  attendance  was  chiefly  from  Penn- 
sylvania. The  catalogues  of  the'college  department  before  1806  are  in- 
complete and  the  attendance  in  the  college  during  that  period  is  the 
number  of  the  alumni  for  the  period  and  is,  therefore,  about  one-half 
of  the  actual  attendance.  It  is  believed,  therefore,  that  the  final  total 
above,  66,747,  falls  considerably  below  the  real  figure  were  the  data 
accurately  known. — Editor. 


Chapter  III. 
THE  SCOPE  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


The  organization  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  has  proved  itself 
capable  of  assimilation  and  development.  Its  early  form  was  deter- 
mined by  controversies  between  the  State  and  the  college  of  17")."),  which 
are  described  fully  elsewhere.  From  this  struggle,  whicli  lastetl  from 
1779  to  1791,  the  University  emerged  with  a  cliarter  and  organization 
bearing  traces  of  political  and  religious  concessions.  The  governor  of 
the  Commonwealth  becomes  by  virtue  of  his  office  a  member  and  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  This  board  consists  of  twenty-four 
members,  in  addition  to  the  governor  for  the  time  being;  they  consti- 
tute "  a  corporation  and  body  politick,  in  law  and  in  fact,"  with  power 
of  continuance  by  filling  vacancies  in  their  number.  The  spoliative 
act  of  Assembly  of  1779  sought  to  enforce  religious  equality  in  the 
board  by  providing  that  the  senior  ministers  of  the  Episcopal,  Presby- 
terian, Baptist,  Lutheran,  German  Calvinist  and  Roman  chiu'ches  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  should  be  members.  Although  this  provision 
is  not  explicitly  embodied  in  the  act  of  1791,  which  is  the  final  act  of 
fimdamental  legislation  affecting  the  grant  of  rights  to  the  University, 
it  may  be  asserted  that  careful  regard  has  always  been  ha<l  for  its 
spirit  and  intention.  At  the  present  time,  the  board  contains  repre- 
sentatives of  the  following  religious  bodies,  named  in  alphabetical 
order:  Baptists,  Episcopalians,  Lutherans,  Presbyterians,  Quakers, 
Koman  Catholics,  and  Unitarians.  It  is  needless  to  enlarge  upon  the 
further  simple  statement  that  denominational  considerations  have  no 
influence  in  the  policy  of  the  University  or  in  the  selection  of  its  officers 
of  instruction. 

It  is  partly  due  to  the  location  of  the  University  in  a  large  city  with 
abounding  opportunities  for  religious  worship,  and  partly  to  the  ab- 
sence of  any  predominant  denominational  influence,  that  the  official 
religious  activity  of  the  University  has  hitherto  been  limited  to  an 
obligatory  daily  chapel  service  for  the  College  Department  only,  and 
an  annual  baccalaureate  sermon  to  its  graduating  classes.  In  1888  it 
was  provided  that  graduates  of  the  University  who  should  after  gradua 
tion  have  pursued  an  approved  course  of  study  in  a  theological  sem- 
inary might  receive  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  divinity.  At  the  com- 
mencement in  1891  this  degree  was  conferred  on  three  such  candidates. 

205 


206  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

It  is  impossible  to  avoid  an  expression  of  the  hope  that  ere  h)ng  funds 
will  be  available  to  realize  the  cherished  plan  of  a  Department  of 
Theology  organized  upon  the  higliest  plane  of  scliolarship  and  efficiency 
with  a  University  church  upon  the  grounds,  and  a  corps  of  University 
chaplains  serving  in  rotation.' 

The  principle  of  government  of  the  University  is  by  committees 
whose  reports  and  recommendations  are  submitted  to  the  full  Board  of 
Trustees.  As  each  successive  department  has  been  grafted  on  the 
central  body,  a  standing  committee  has  been  created  to  exercise  super- 
vision over,  and  to  promote  the  development  of  the  new  work. 

At  the  present  time  the  number  of  these  standing  committees  is  as 
follows : 

(1)  On  the  School  of  Arts.  # 

(2)  On  the  Towne  Scientific  School. 

(3)  On  the  School  of  Biology. 

(4)  On  the  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy. 

(5)  On  the  School  of  American  Institutions  and  History. 

The  above  in  connection  with  certain  additional  courses,  such  as  that 
in  architecture,  constitute  the  College  Department.  These  committees 
often  meet  in  joint  session. 

(6)  On  the  Department  of  Medicine  and  on  the  Auxiliary  Depart- 
ment of  Medicine. 

(7)  On  the  University  Hospital. 

(8)  On  the  Department  of  Law. 

(9)  On  the  Department  of  Dentistry. 

(10)  On  the  Department  of  Veterinary  Medicine. 

(11)  On  the  Department  of  Physical  Education. 

(12)  On  the  Graduate  Department  for  Women. 

(13)  On  the  Department  of  Hygiene. 

(14)  On  the  Laboratory  of  Marine  Zoology. 

(15)  On  the  Museum  of  Archaeology  and  Paleontology. 
(10)  On  the  University  Library, 

In  addition  to  these,  there  are  the  two  great  business  committees  of 
the  board. 

(17)  On  Buildings,  Estates,  and  Property,  and 

(18)  On  Ways  and  Means. 

All  of  these  standing  committees,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  one, 
are  appointed  annually  by  the  Provost  at  the  January  meeting  of  the 
board.  The  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  is  elected  by  ballot. at  the 
same  meeting. 

The  large  size  of  the  board  renders  it  possible  to  secure  the  repre- 
sentation of  each  leading  department  by  one  or  more  men  with  special 
knowledge  of  and  active  interest  in  its  afifairs.    This  mode  of  govem- 


'I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  announce  that  oil  January  1, 1892,  a  staff  of  University 
Chaplains,  five  in  number,  entered  upon  their  official  duties,  Avhich  consist  in  serv- 
ing in  rotation  in  the  conduct  of  chapel  service  and  in  daily  attendance  at  the  Col- 
lege Department  for  consultation  with  the  students. 


THE  SCOPE  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY.  207 

raent  seems  einineutly  adapted  to  its  purposes.  The  committees  are  of 
convenient  size.  All  questions  referred  can  he  considered  deliberately 
and  thoroughly;  if  necessary,  repeated  meetings  may  be  held;  the  ad 
vice  or  the  presence  of  members  of  the  faculties  or  of  outside  experts 
maybe  secured;  so  that  the  reports  made  to  the  Board  of  Trustees 
habitually  represent  the  final  and  united  judgment  of  competent  au- 
thorities, and  such  their  consideration  by  the  board,  though  frank  and 
free,  usually  results  in  adoption,  or  at  least,  in  recommittal  for  further 
study  by  unanimous  consent.  An  acrimonious  del)ate  or  the  decision 
of  any  important  question  by  a  close  vote  is  unknown.  It  would  be 
accepted  as  proof  that  the  subject  needed  further  careful  and  impartial 
consideration  in  committee. 

The  above  list  of  the  committees  indicates  the  large  and  ever  widen- 
ing scope  of  the  work  undertaken  by  the  University.  It  suggests  also 
the  large  responsibilities  assumed  by  the  board. 

Doubtless  there  was  a  time  when  the  position  of  trustee  of  the 
University  was  simply  an  honorable  sinecure-  but  of  late  years  the 
quickened  intellectual  life  of  the  community,  the  increasingly  numerous 
and  varied  demands  upon  our  great  institutions  of  learning  and  the 
closer  competition  between  these  latter,  have  been  exacting  more  and 
more  close  attention  to  the  educational  and  financial  interests  of  the 
University.  Not  only  friMn  this  aspect  is  it  advantageous  to  have 
our* great  educational  institutions  in  large  cities.  The  members  of  the 
governing  body  are  able  to  bestow  much  more  close  and  constant  care 
than  would  otherwise  be  possible.  Moreover,  under  such  conditions  the 
services  of  the  highest  talent  can  always  be  secured  in  the  faculties  of 
the  various  professional  schools,  since  one  can  practice  his  i)rofession 
actively  wliile  holding  a  professorship.  It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  uiK>n 
the  many  conspicuous  examples  furnished  by  all  of  these  schools  in  our 
University.  Further,  an  opportunity  is  afforded  to  associate  in  various 
fields  of  university  work  many  able  men  and  women  who  are  not 
members  either  of  the  board  or  of  the  faculties.  It  is  impossible  to 
overestimate  the  value  of  the  reinforcement  that  may  thus  be  secnred. 
The  vigorous  and  elastic  organization  of  the  University  presents  many 
good  illustrations  of  this  principle.  For  example,  the  gratifying  pros 
perity  of  the  University  Hospital  is  chiefly  due  to  the  fact  that  from  its 
inception  the  management  has  lieen  Qntruste<l  to  a  separate  board,  con- 
taining only  a  minority  of  trustees,  while  the  majority  comprise  repre- 
sentatives of  the  medical  faculty,  of  the  contributors,  and  of  the  Board 
-of  Women  Visitors.  It  seems  clear  that  if  the  establishment  and 
management  of  this  important  branch  of  the  University  work  had 
devolved  exclusively  on  the  Board  of  Trustees  it  would  have  been  an 
onerous  addition  to  their  large  responsibilities. 

No  less  marked  has  been  the  success  following  a  similar  method  of 
organization  for  the  Museums  of  Archfeology  and  Pahneontology.  An 
association  with  numerous  membership  has  been  formed;  and  the  board 


208  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

of  managers,  the  council,  and  the  executive  committees  in  charge  of 
the  Assyrian,  the  Egyptian,  the  Oriental,  and  the  American  fields  of 
research  and  collection,  comprise  representatives  of  the  trustees,  of  the 
faculties,  and  of  the  association.  No  departmenthas  shownmore  gratify- 
ing vigor  and  growth  than  this. 

These  allusions  indicate  sufficiently  the  relations  which  the  Uni- 
versity maintains  with  the  community.  The  conception  which  has 
been  formed  is  that  it  should  be  the  center  of  the  literary  and  scientific 
activity  of  the  city  and,  as  far  as  possible,  of  the  State;  that  it  should 
provide  ample  fireproof  accommodation  not  only  for  extensive  libraries, 
but  for  scientific  and  artistic  collections ;  that  these  should  not  only  be 
available  to  the  students  of  the  University  but  to  all  scholars  and 
investigators;  and,  finally,  that  endowments  must  be  accumulated  for  the 
support  of  such  scholars  of  distinction  and  for  the  publication  of  the 
original  papers  produced  by  them  and  by  members  of  the  faculties. 

From  the  first  it  was  distinctly  contemplated  by  Franklin  and  the 
sagacious  men  associated  with  him  in  the  foundation  of  the  University 
that  its  instruction  should  be  specifically  arranged  in  courses  with  a 
view  to  the  subsequent  avocations  of  the  students.  Unhappily  lost 
sight  of  at  various  periods,  this  has  been,  on  the  whole,  a  leading 
principle  in  the  development  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  Not 
until  recently,  however,  has  it  beeu  possii^le  to  embody  it  upon  an 
adequate  scale.  When  the  late  John  Henry  Towne  bequeathed  a  Itirge 
sum — the  largest  amount  given  in  this  country  by  any  individual  to  an 
educational  institution  up  to  that  date  (1875) — it  was  used  as  the  basis 
of  a  Scientific  School,  to  be  developed  in  connection  with  the  original 
Department  of  Arts.  This  opened  elective  courses,  occupying  the  last 
two  years  of  the  college  curriculum,  in  chemistry,  mining,  civil  and 
mechanical  engineering,  etc.  The  interesting  experiment  was  for  some 
years  tried  of  conducting  scientific  courses  ui)on  these  branches  from 
the  university  instead  of  from  the  technological  standpoint,  but  expe- 
rience has  demonstrated  that  this  is  a  distinction  with  too  serious  a 
difference,  and  that  to  be  effective  as  academic  curricula  or  as  a  prep- 
aration for  professional  careers  it  is  better  that  these  courses  should  be 
equipped  and  conducted  in  a  strictly  and  completely  technical  sense. 
The  recent  changes  in  the  Towne  Scientific  School  have  all  been  in  this 
direction,  and  have  been  attended  with  obviously  good  results.  Especial 
importance  has  attached  to  the  work  of  the  School  of  Biology,  and  of 
the  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy,  which  are  two  of  the  most 
original  and  successful  amendments  to  the  College  course  introduced 
at  the  University.  At  the  present  time  the  instruction  in  the  College 
Department  has  reached  an  advanced  stage  of  the  elective  group 
system.  The  student  may  pursue  for  four  years  a  course  upon  the 
same  lines  as  the  old  classical  curriculum,  although  the  introduction  of 
'mproved  methods  has  modified  the  spirit  and  results  greatly  for  the 
better,  or  he  may  elect  out  of  a  great  number  of  possible  variations; 


THE    SCOPE    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.  .  209 

for  instance,  special  groups  of  studies  in  chemistry,  in  enginexTing— 
civil,  mecbanical,  mining,  or  electrical,— in  natural  history,  in  hygiene, 
in  architecture,  iu  history,  in  finance,  administration,  sociology,  or  law, 
or  in  branches  preparatory  to  the  study  of  medicine.  The  combination 
of  a  fully  developed  system  of  undergraduate  instruction  presenting  a 
rich  choice  of  parallel  groups  of  studies,  with  a  full  series  of  professional 
schools  offering  themselves  as  a  natural  continuation  of  such  lines  of 
college  work,  has  been  the  most  familiar  conception  of  a  university  in 
America.  To  this  must  be  added  the  more  recent  school  of  nonpro- 
fessional po'Stgraduate  studies  which  are  appropriately  enough  classed 
under  the  faculty  of  philosophy.  It  is  but  an  arbitrary  line  which  divides 
these  courses  leading  to  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy  from  what 
are  commonly  regarded  as  professional  courses,  since  in  a  majority  of 
cases,  the  former  are  pursued  as  a  preparation  for  the  profession  of 
teaching,  or  of  letters,  or  of  journalism.  No  good  reason  appears  why, 
at  least  in  the  case  of  the  first  of  these,  the  entrance  should  not  be 
guarded  by  the  exaction  of  a  suitable  professional  degree.  A  glance  at 
our  faculty  of  philosophy  and  our  list  of  professional  schools  will  show 
how  extensive,  and  yet  how  symmetrical  has  been  the  development  of 
the  University  in  this  direction. 

The  School  of  Medit^ine  was  opened  in  1765  by  Dr.  John  Morgan, 
that  of  Law  in  1701  by  Justice  James  Wilson,  and  each  was  the  first 
upon  that  special  subject  in  America.  As  each  successive  s<^hool  has 
been  added,  that  of  Dentistry,  of  Veterinary  Medicine,  of  Finance 
and  Economy,  of  Biology,  of  Hygiene,  of  American  Institutions  and 
History,  it  has  either  been  the  first  fully  organized  Department  of  the 
kind  established  in  connection  with  an  AmericanUniversity,  or  it  has 
quickly  taken  the  first  place  as  regards  equipment  and  organization. 

Reference  is  made  with  conscious  and  justifiable  pride  to  the  record 
of  each  of  these  schools  as  presented  in  the  chapters  devoted  respect- 
ively to  them. 

An  undoubted  danger  exists  in  the  case  of  universities  seated  in 
large  cities  from  the  very  facility  with  which  new  and  tempting  sub- 
jects of  advanced  study  are  ingraft^id,  new  fields  of  scientific  explora- 
tion and  collection  entered  upon,  even  new  departments  countenanced 
or  commenced,  in  dependence  upon  the  enthusiasm,  possibly  temporary, 
of  a  few  experts  and  in  aflvance  of  the  reception  by  the  trustees  of  en- 
dowment funds  adequate  to  permanent  maintenance.  There  is  a  fasci- 
nation about  new  subjects  which  tempts  to  a  diversion  of  attention 
and  energy.  So  that  in  spite  of  the  well  deserved  prominence  now 
accorded  to  graduate  courses  whether  strictly  professional  or  not,  it 
must  be  held  strictly  in  view  that  in  our  American  system  the  rank  of 
a  university  will  for  a  long  time  to  come  be  determined  largely  by 
the  quality  and  quantity  of  its  undergraduate  work. 

It  is  a  source  of  constant  gratification  to  the  friends  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  that  such  extensive  and  thorough  work  is  done  iu  the 
1180 U 


210  THE    UNIVEBSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

college  despite  the  limited  amount  of  endowment  yet  acquired  for  that 
department.  This  result  is  of  course  chiefly  due  to  the  faithful  and 
devoted  labors  of  the  college  faculty.  No  educational  institution  can 
thrive  unless  the  standard  set  for  the  faculties  is  a  very  high  one,  not 
only  as  regards  jjersonal  character  and  attainments,  but  as  regards 
actual  teaching  power  and  active  personal  interest  in  the  success  of 
their  respective  departments  and  in  the  progress  of  the  individual 
student.  It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  the  University  to  entrust  to 
each  faculty,  and  to  the  college  faculty  fully  as  much  as  to  any  other, 
a  large  share  of  .authority  and  responsibility  in  dealing  with  all  ques- 
tions pertaining  to  its  department.  Indeed,  formerly  the  Medical  and 
Law  Schools  were  in  large  measure  independent  institutions.  But 
of  recent  years  important  organic  changes  have  been  made  which  have 
resulted  in  unifying  the  entire  University,  the  administration  of  which 
is  now  simple  and  uniform. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  standing  committees  of  the  trustees 
upon  each  department.  The  connection  between  these  committees  and 
the  faculties  is  effected  by  the  deans  and  the  provost.  The  dignity  and 
influence  of  the  ofl&ce  of  dean  have  been  enhanced.  Formerly  there 
were  marked  differences  between  the  various  faculties  in  this  respect; 
but  recently  the  office  has  been  made  one  of  trustee  appointment,  so 
that  the  deans  are  associated  with  the  provost  as  official  channels  of 
communication  between  the  trustees  and  the  faculties.  The  advantage 
or  this  seems  obvious.  The  most  accurate  and  impartial  man  in  the 
office  of  provost  may  well  have  his  judgment  warped  or  his  information 
upon  some  point  or  other  incomplete,  and  this  danger  is  greatly  lessened 
by  having  the  benefit  of  the  deans'  presence  at  the  committee  meetings 
where  i)rol^ssional  appointments  and  important  questions  of  policy  or 
expenditure  are  under  discussion. 

The  general  supervision  of  the  buildings  of  each  department,  as  well 
as  the  appointment  and  direction  of  all  employes,  devolve  upon  the  re- 
spective deans.  In  the  absence  of  the  provost  they  preside  at  faculty 
meetings.  They  are  expected  to  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  effi- 
ciency of  each  professor's  work,  and  to  report  thereupon  to  the  provost 
as  often  as  may  be  desirable.  All  questions  of  discipline  come  under 
the  direct  jurisdiction  of  the  dean.  He  is  aided  by  an  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  faculty,  and  in  all  grave  cases  the  advice  of  the  i)rovost 
must  be  sought,  and  his  decision  is  practically  final.  It  speaks  elo- 
quently for  the  good  moral  tone  of  the  entire  body  of  students  that  of 
'late  years  serious  questions  of  discipline  have  been  of  extreme  and 
steadily  increasing  rarity. 

It  will  be  readily  gathered  from  the  previous  description  of  the  or- 
ganization of  the  University  that  the  duties  of  the  i)rovost  of  the  Uni 
versity  of  Pennsylvania  differ  widely  from  those  wliich  pertained  to  the 
traditional  president  of  an  American  college.  Originally  he  \viis  in 
effect  the  dean  of  the  College  Department,  with  the  added  duty  of  pre- 


THE    SCOPE   OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.  _'  1  1 

siding  at  commencements  and  of  conferring  all  degrees,  ilc  did  not 
even  attend  the  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  nor  of  its  connnitteeu. 

During  l)r.  Still6's  tenure  of  office  the  provost  became  a  regular  at- 
tendant at  the  board  meetings  and  was  made  the  president  and  jiresiding 
officer  of  all  faculties. 

These  important  steps  were  followed  by  still  more  considerable  modi- 
fications in  1880,  when,  on  the  election  of  the  present  incumbent  to  the 
position  of  provost,  extensive  changes  were  made  in  the  statutes  of  the 
University.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  tlie  (xovernor  of  the  Com- 
monwealth is  ex  officio  the  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees;  but  in 
fact  the  absorbing  nature  of  his  other  official  duties  ha-s  for  many  years 
made  it  impossible  for  any  governor  even  to  take  his  seat  at  a  meeting 
of  the  tiustees. -  The  provost  was  in  1880  made  the  president  pro  tern. 
of  the  board,  with  the  duty  of  presiding  at  all  of  its  meetings  and  of  ap- 
pointing all  committees  with  exception  of  that  on  Ways  and  Means, 
which  is  elected. 

The  title  of  jwrovost  was  after  mature  consideration  retained  on  a<'.- 
count  of  its  historical  value  and  traditional  significance.  No  other 
instance  occurs  to  us  of  the  use  of  this  title  in  academic  circles  in 
America. 

This  officer  has  thus  become  the  <;hief  executive  of  the  institution. 
His  relations  with  the  trustees  in  the  transaction  of  all  business,  his 
position  in  every  one  of  the  numerous  faculties  and  in  all  of  the  org.in- 
izations  which  owe  their  existence  to  the  tnistees,  make  it  manifestly 
impossible  that  he  should  act  as  an  expert  upon  all  the  educational 
(juestions  which  arise,  or  should  attend  to  the  working  details  of  all  the 
departments.  He  must  act  as  the  representative  of  the  entire  Uni- 
versity in  its  relations  with  the  community,  and  nnist  explain  and  ad- 
vocate the  \aiious  educational  movements  initiated. 

Standing  between  the  trustees  and  the  faculties  he  must  in  a  pe- 
culiar sense,  and  despite  the  vast  importance  of  the  committees  of  the 
board  and  of  the  newly  developed  deanships,  possess  the  confidence  of 
the  board,  the  faculties,  and  the  alumni  as  a  fair  and  imi)artial  admin- 
istrator whose  sole  object  is  the  welfare  of  the  institution  over  which 
he  is  called  to  preside. 

The  relations  of  the  University  to  the  State  are  highly  interesting. 
A  careful  consideration  of  the  chapter  upon  this  subject  in  the  present 
volume  is  especially  recommended.  It  is  to  be  hoiwd  that  the  ancient 
historical  basis  for  a  cordial  and  intimate  connection  between  them, 
the  series  of  liberal  enactments  by  the  legislature  in  behalf  of  the  Uni- 
versity, the  scrupulous  good  faith  always  shown  by  the  latter  in  the 
discharge  of  every  obligation  connected  with  these  benefoctions,  will 
lead  to  still  more  close  relations,  sinc6  sflch  will  surely  be  mutually 
advantageous. 

The  cordial  support  of  the  alumni  is  indeed  an  indispensable  condi- 
tion of  complete  success  for  the  administration  of  any  American  uui- 


212  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

versity.  The  Board  of  Trustees  has,  as  is  already  manifest,  acted  with 
great  wisdom  in  voluntarily  enacting  the  necessary  statutes  to  create 
a  central  committee  of  the  alumni  of  all  departments  and  to  give  to 
this  body  the  i)Ower  to  fill  every  third  vacancy  in  the  tnistees  by  pre- 
senting nominations  from  which  the  board  elects.  The  large  share  in 
the  actual  administration  thus  secured;  the  further  right  of  the  central 
committee  of  alumni  to  appoint  special  committees  to  examine  and 
submit  reports  on  the  operation  of  each  department,  which  reports  are 
forwarded  to  the  tnistees,  and  finally  the  creation  of  the  athletic  asso- 
ciation, largely  under  the  control  of  the  alumni,  which  has  charge  of 
this  important  branch  of  the  students'  interests,  have  aroused  a  deep 
and  active  interest  among  the  alumni  in  all  i)arts  which  is  already 
producing  a  happy  influence  upon  the  progress  and  prosperity  of  the 
University. 

Among  the  interesting  questions  which  present  themselves  to  every 
college,  and  especially  to  each  one  seated  in  a  large  city,  is  that  of  the 
educational  facilities  which  it  should  extend  to  youijg  women.  The 
policy  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  regard  to  this  question  is 
quite  definite.  It  is  held  to  be  unwise  at  present  to  open  the  under- 
graduate classes  to  the  admission  of  girls  as  full  students  and  candi- 
dates for  the  B.  A.  degree.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  fiill 
discussion  of  the  potent  reasons  which  support  this  view.  At  the 
same  time  there  have  been  for  fifteen  years  certain  classes  and  certain 
laboratory  work  open  to  girls  as  special  students,  and  the  income  of  ;i 
special  trust  fund  has,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  gift,  been 
expended  to  aid  such  female  students  as  were  preparing  to  be  teach 
ers.  In  1890  a  highly  important  step  was  taken  by  the  acceptance  of 
a  valuable  property  immediately  adjoining  the  University  grounds  as 
a  hall  of  residence  for  women  students,  and  by  the  adoption  of  a  report 
providing  for  a  graduate  department  for  women. 

In  May,  1892,  this  department  was  opened  formally  with  appro])riate, 
ceremonies.  Eight  fellowships  were  offered  for  the  year  1892-'93.  It 
is  hoped  that  the  establishment  of  this  department  which  will  open 
to  women  all  the  courses  of  advanced  study  in  the  faculty  of  philos- 
ophy with  the  opportunity  of  ac(iuiring  the  highest  academic  degree 
(Doctor  of  Philosophy)  will  be  found  to  solve  the  important  problem  of 
providing  University  teaching  for  women  and  thus  to  prove  a  most 
valuable  advance  in  educational  methods. 

The  original  design  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  was  that  it 
should  be  the  center  of  the  higher  educational  system  of  the  State,  with 
a  series  of  colleges  established  at  various  points,  all  of  which  should 
maintain  an  organic  connection  with  the  University.  Political  dissen 
sions  and  the  lack  of  a  vigorous  policy  on  the  part  of  the  University 
soon  rendered  it  highly  improbable  that  this  Avould  ever  be  fully  real- 
ized. But  it  remains  true  that,  owing  to  tlie  official  i)osition  of  the 
Governor  as  the  president  of  the  University,  and  owing  to  the  numer- 


THE    SCOPE    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.  213 

ous  weighty  obligations  assumed  and  regularly  discharged  by  the  Uni- 
versity, this  corporation  should  be  regarded  as  in  strict  sense  a  State 
institution  and  should  be  entitled  to  corresponding  treatment  by  suc- 
cessive legislatures. 

The  relations  of  the  University  to  the  City  of  Phihulelphia  are  pecu- 
liarly interesting,  owing  to  tlie  arrangement  effected  in  1882,  by  which  iu 
return  for  a  tract  of  ground  of  but  little  value  to  the  city,  but  absolutely 
essential  to  the  future  develoi)mcnt  of  the  University,  50  prize  scholar 
ships  were  established  in  perpetuity  to  be  awarded  tt)  students  of  the 
public  schools  of  Philadelphia.  This  arrangement  is  working  most 
happily.  The  award  is  made  on  the  reasonably  fair  basis  of  the  gradua 
tion  averages  of  students  from  the  Central  High  School  and  the  (Central 
Manual  Training  School,  so  that  these  valuable  prizes  actually  serve  as 
powerful  stimuli  to  the  entire  body  of  scholars  in  all  grades  of  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  the  city.  Important  obUgations  to  the  city  as  well  as  to 
the  State  have  also  been  assumed  at  various  times  by  the  University 
Hospital.  The  University  has  covenanted  to  maintain  a  free  library 
of  reference  open  to  the  public.  By  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  42 
acres  owned  by  the  University  is  held  under  conditions  which  forbid  its 
mortgage  or  sale.  The  new  Department  of  Hygiene  will  be  the  natural 
(center  of  all  work  connected  with  the  sanitary  interests  of  the  city. 

It  is  true  that  in  accordance  with  legislative  enactments  the  edu- 
cational buildings  of  the  University,  and  such  of  its  grounds  as  are 
actually  used  for  educational  purposes,  are  exempt  from  taxation.  It 
is  probable,  however,  that  in  the  future  the  value  of  the  public  services 
rendered  by  the  Unwersity,  and  the  heavy  charges  imposed  by  them 
upon  funds  which  are  wholly  devoted  to  maintaining  a  high  standard 
of  education  for  the  benefit  of  the  community,  will  lead  an  appreciative 
city  and  State  to  make  annual  appropriations  to  the  University  as  an 
equivalent.  It  is  also  not  impossible  that  with  the  growth  of  the  Uni- 
versity property  and  i)oi)ulation  in  West  Philadelphia  there  will  be 
elected  to  the  city  councils  and  the  State  legislature  direct  representa- 
tives of  this  important  constituency. 

The  future  greatness  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  was  deter- 
mined when  the  additional  extensive  tracts  of  ground  were  secured  in 
1872  for  the  hospital,  and  in  1882,  1888,  and  1881)  for  the  general  pur- 
poses of  the  institution.  The  one  barrier  to  its  complete  development 
was  then  removed.  Let  no  university  seated  in  a  large  city  imagine  it 
can  succeed  supremely  without  ample  space.  The  acquisition  of  this 
territory  has  enabled  us  to  develoi)  such  departments  as  the  library, 
the  museums,  the  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine,  the  School  of  Biology, 
the  Laboratory  of  Hygiene,  the  Wistar  Institute  of  Anatomy,  and  to 
reserve  ground  for  others  whose  development  is  now  only  a  question 
of  time.  It  will  enable  us  to  accept,  and  our  ability  to  accept  will  often 
determine  the  direction  of  such  gifts,  important  trusts  which  involve 
the  erection  of  separate  buildings,  so  that  the  foundation  shall  be  largely 


214  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

an  independent  one,  bearing  the  memorial  name  designated  by  the  do- 
nors. It  will  enable  us  to  provide  dormitory  buildings  which  will  se- 
cure absolutely  good  sanitary  conditions  and  the  proper  amount  of 
supervision  for  students  in  residence. 

It  has  permitted  jthe  erection  of  a  great  ceiitrjtl  station  to  provide  all 
the  university  buildings  with  heat  and  electric  lighting  and  forced  ven- 
tilation and  to  serve  at  the  same  time  as  a  model  school  of  mechanical 
and  electrical  engineering. 

It  has  permitted  us  to  place  at  the  disposal  of  the  athletic  associa- 
tion the  use  of  a  fine  large  field,  and  to  assign  a  good  site  for  a  com- 
plete gymnasium. 

Finally,  it  affords  the  opportunity  for  the  alumni  to  construct  on  the 
grounds  of  the  University  a  splendid  memorial  hall  where  in  all  future 
time  the  ceremonial  functions  of  the  University  may  occur,  and  where 
the  swelling  ranks  of  the  alumni  will  muster  year  after  year  to  attest 
■"heir  loving  devotion  to  alma  mater  whose  grand  gjowtli  in  power  and 
prosperity  and  influence  so  largely  depends  upon  their  loyal  support. 


Chapter  IV. 
A  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


1740-1881. 


By  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Province  of  Pennsylva- 
nia had  reached  a  point  in  its  development  where  it  was  necessary  to 
consider  what  was  to  be  done  to  secure  a  pervading  and  sustained  in- 
tellectual activity  within  its  borders.  The  men  of  that  day  and  age  had 
the  practical  conviction  that  progress  does  not  consist  in  material  pros- 
perity but  in  spiritual  advancement.  Education  had  not  been  over- 
looked in  the  policy  of  Penn.    In  his  Frame  of  Government  we  read: 

*  *  *  The  governor  aiul  provincial  council  shall  erect  and  order  all  public 
schools,  and  encourage  and  reward  the  authors  of  usefal  sciences  and  laudable  in- 
ventions in  the  said  province.  »  »  *  And  *  *  *  a  committee  of  manners, 
education  and  arts,  that  all  wicked  and  scandalous  living  may  be  prevented,  and 
that  youth  may  be  successively  trained  up  in  virtue  and  useful  knowledge  and  arta. 

The  first  movement  to  establish  an  educational  institution  of  a  high 
grade  was  iu  the  action  of  the  Executive  Council  which  proposed, 
November  17,  1683,  "That  Care  be  Taken  about  the  Learning  and  In- 
struction of  Youth,  to  wit:  A  Scool  of  Arts  and  Sciences."  It  was  not 
until  1689,  however,  that  the  "imblic  Grammar  School"  was  set  up  in 
Philadelphia.  This  institution,  founded  upon  the  English  idea  of  a 
"free  school,"  was  formally  chartered  in  1697  as  the  "William  Penn 
Charter  School."  It  was  intended  as  the  head  of  a  system  of  sc-hools 
for  all,  rather  than  a  single  school  for  a  select  few,  an  idea  whi<'h  the 
founders  of  the  Charitable  School,  fifty  years  later,  had  also  in  mind — 
an  idea  which  was  never  carried  out  in  the  history  of  either  institution. 

The  failure  of  Penn's  scheme  of  government,  and  the  tnrmoil  dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  arising  from  the  con- 
flicts between  ditterent  political  parties,  for  a  time  influenced  very  de- 
cidedly educational  zeal  in  the  province.  The  government,  which  at 
the  outset  had  taken  isuch  high  ground  on  the  subject,  ceased  to  ex- 
ert itself  in  behalf  of  education,  and  the  several  religious  denomina- 
tions and  the  people  themselves  in  neighborhood  organizations  took  up 
the  burden  and  planted  schools  as  best  they  could  throughout  the  gi'ow- 
ing  colony.  As  a  result  of  this  movement  we  find  that  in  Philadelphia, 
in  1740,  a  charity  school  was  established  by  a  number  of  public-spirited 
citizens  for  the  instruction  of  poor  children  gratis  in  useful  literature 


'  For  history  of  1881-1892  see  pp.  195-203. 

215 


216  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

and  the  Christian  religion.  This  may  be  said  to  be  the  beginning  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania ;  nine  years  later  this  foundation  was  used 
for  the  organization  of  the  Academy.  But  so  far  no  institution  existed 
in  the  province  for  the  promotion  of  higher  education.  Feeling  the  im- 
portance for  some  provision  to  supplement  the  education  then  given  in 
the  established  schools,  Benjamin  Franklin  as  early  as  1743  drew  up  a 
proposal  for  establishing  an  academy  and  endeavored  to  secure  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Rev.  Richard  Peters  and  other  prominent  citizenvS  for  that 
purpose.  But  Mr.  Peters  was  not  then  in  a  position  to  give  the  neces- 
sary cooperation,  and,  owing  to  the  disturbed  condition  of  affairs  in  the 
province  and  colonies  generally,  the  matter  was  left  in  abeyance.  In 
1749,  at  the  conclusion  of  peace,  Franklin  again  turned  his  thoughts  to 
the  affair.  He  secured  the  assistance  of  a  number  of  friends,^  many  of 
them  members  of  the  famous  Junto,"  and  then  published  his  pamphlet 
entitled  ''Proposals  Relating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsyl- 
vania." The  pamphlet  aroused  considerable  interest,  and  the  plan  as 
outlined  commended  itself  to  a  large  number  of  practical  men  from  the 
fact  that  Franklin  subordinated  classical  to  English  studies.  He 
thought  "the  time  spent  in  that  study  (Latin  and  Greek)  might  be  much 
better  employed  in  the  education  for  such  a  country  as  ours."  The 
opinion  of  most  of  the  original  trustees. 

On  all  sides  the  paper  met  m  itli  great  favor  and  generous  support. 
The  result  was  tlie  organization  of  a  board  of  trustees,  consisting  of 
24  of  those  who  had  subscribed  to  the  scheme  of  the  Academy,  with 
Franklin  as  i)resident.  This  body  immediately  set  about  to  realize  the 
object  of  the  pamphlet,  and  nourished'  by  subscriptions,  lotteries,  and 
gifts  the  Academy  was  placed  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  members 
of  the  board  raised  among  themselves  £2,000,  and  this  sum  was  after- 
wards considerably  increased  by  other  similar  subscriptions.  Applica- 
tion was  made  to  the  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  for 
aid,  and  the  following,  from  a  paper  drawn  up  and  inesented  to  this 
body  by  Franklin,  1749,  sets  forth  the  broad  and  generous  objects  had 
in  view,  and  the  benefits  expected  from  the  institution : 

1.  That  the  youth  of  Pennsylvania  may  have  an  opportunity  of  receiving  a  good 
education  at  horn*;,  and  be  under  no  necessity  of  going  abroad  for  it,  whereby  not 
only  considerable  expense  may  be  saved  to  the  country,  but  a  stricter  eye  may  be 
had  over  their  morals  by  their  friends  and  relations. 

2.  That  a  number  of  our  natives  will  hereby  be  qualified  to  bear  magistracies,  and 
execute  other  public  offices  of  trust,  with  reputation  to  themselves  and  country, 
there  being  at  present  a  great  want  of  persons  so  qualified  in  the  several  counties  of 
this  province;  aud  this  is  the  more  necessary  now  to  be  provided  for  by  the  English 
^>ere,  as  vast  numbers  of  foreigners  are  yearly  imported  among  us,  totally  ignorant 
of  our  laws,  customs,  and  language. 

3.  That  a  number  of  the  poorer  sort  will  hereby  be  qualified  to  act  as  schoolmas- 
ters in  the  country,  to  teach  children  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  the  grammar 
of  their  mother  tongue,  and  being  of  good  morals  and  known  character,  may  be  rec- 


'  Especially  Tench  Francis,  Thomas  Hopkinson,  and  Mr.  Peters. 


A    HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.-    *  217 

ommended  from  the  Academy  to  countrj'  schools  for  that  purpose — the  country  Huf- 
fering  very  much  at  present  for  want  of  good  Hchoohuasters,  and  obliged  frequently 
to  employ  in  their  schools  vicious  imported  servants  or  conoealetl  Papists,  who  by 
their  bad  examples  and  instructions  often  deprave  the  morals  or  corrupt  the  princi- 
ples of  the  children  under  their  care. 

4.  It  is  thought  that  a  good  Academy  erected  here  in  Philadelphia,  a  healthy 
place,  where  provisions  are  plenty,  situated  in  the  center  of  the  colonies,  may  draw 
numbers  of  students  from  the  neighboring  provinces,  who  must  spend  considerable 
sums  among  us  yearly  in  payment  for  their  lodging,  diet,  apparel,  et«-.,  which  will 
be  an  advantage  to  our  traders,  artisans,  and  owners  of  houses  and  lands. 

In  answer  to  this  petition  the  Common  Conncil  agreed  to  give  £200 
in  cash,  and  £50  per  annum  for  five  years,  and  £50  additional  for  the 
right  of  sending  one  scliolar  eaeli  year  from  the  Charity  SchfMil  to  the 
Academy.  The  Charity  School  occupied  the  old  building  which  stand-s 
in  from  Fourth  street  near  Arch,  known  in  those  days  a.s  the  New 
Building.  This  building  had  been  erected  as  a  pla<te  of  worship  for 
the  celebrated  Whitefield,  who  had  been  excluded  from  the  churches  of 
Philadelphia,  and  for  the  use  of  other  ministers  similarly  excluded. 
Almost  every  religious  denomination  had  been  concerned  in  its  erec- 
tion, and  Franklin  and  Whitefield  were  among  its  trustees,  who 
were  selected  from  difi'erent  sects.  When  the  enthusiasm  for  White- 
field  subsided  the  trustees  found  themselves -heavily  in  debt.  The  lot 
had  been  purchased  on  ground-rent  and  money  had  been  borrowed  to 
finish  the  building.  The  trustees  of  the  newly  established  Academy 
made  overtures  to  the  trustees  of  the  new  building,  and  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Franklin,  who  was  a  member  of  both  boards, 
they  were  able  to  make  arrangements'for  a  conditional  transfer.  The 
negotiations  closed  with  the  conveyance  of  the  building  to  the  Acad- 
emy authorities  in  December,  1749,  on  condition  that  the  debt,  amoant- 
ing  to  nearly  £800,  should  be  paid,  a  charity  school  maintained,  and 
a  large  hall  for  occasional  preachers,  to  be  kept  open,  forever,  accord- 
ing to  the  original  intention.  These  conditions  have  been  complied 
with;  and  until  1877  a  charity  school  was  maintained  and  a  room 
kei)t  in  the  old  Academy  building  for  the  convenience  of  itinerant 
preachers  and  new  congregations.  Owing  to  alterations  which  had  to 
be  made  the  building  was  not  ready  for  occupancy  immediately,  and 
it  was  not  until  January  7, 1751,  that  the  Academy  was  formally  opened 
in  its  new  quarters  by  a  sermon  i)reached  by  the  Rev.  Richai-d  Peters. 

The  Academy  comprised  three  schools,  the  Latin,  the  English,  and 
the  mathematical,  over  each  of  which  was  placed  a  master,  one  of  whom 
was  the  rector  of  the  institution.  The  first  recter  \fd8  David  Martin, 
who  died  very  shortly  after  his  appointment.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Dr.  Francis  Allison  as  master  of  the  Latin  School  and  rector,  a  p/>si- 
tion  which  he  held  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The  English 
School  was  neglected.  The  other  schools  were  favored,  especially  the 
Latin  School.  In  the  eyes  of  Franklin  and  many  of  the  supiwrters 
of  the  Academy,  the  English  School  was  the  one  of  chief  import- 


218  •  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

ance.  AVliat  we  would  call  a,'' starving  out"  process  was  begun  by 
which  the  English  School  was  kept  in  a  weak  condition,  most  of  the 
funds  going  to  the  Latin  SchooL  Seeing  that  there  was  a  persistent 
eflfort  making  to  decry  the  English  School  as  useless  and  that  the  orig- 
inal constitutions  of  the  Academy  had  not  been  complied  with,  Frank- 
lin protested  a  few  months  before  his  death  in  a  pamphlet  entitled 
"Observations  Relative  to  the  Intentions  of  the  Original  Founders  of 
the  Academy  in  Philadelphia."  But  by  1790  the  English  School  was 
dragging  out  a  weary  existence  and  Franklin's  protest  was  of  no  avail. 
One  thing  is  plain,  and  that  is  that  Franklin  and  the  friends  of  the 
English  School  had  a  clearer  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  education  which 
the  conditions  of  America  required  than  had  those  of  the  trustees  who 
had  done  all  in  their  power  to  increase  the  importance  of  the  Latin 
School  at  the  expense  of  the  other  schools  of  tl>e  Academy.  The  ob- 
servations put  forward  in  Franklin's  pamphlet  do  not  far  differ  in  tone 
and  emphasis  from  the  arguments  which  have  been  urged  against  the 
old  scholastic  system  of  education. 

The  success  of  the  Academy  was  so  gratifying  to  all  interested  in  it 
that  it  was  determined  to  apply  for  a  charter.  This  was  granted  to  the 
trustees  by  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  the  proprietors,  on  July  13, 1753. 
Desirous  at  the  same  time  of  enlarging  the  course  of  instruction,  the 
trustees  elected  Mr.  William  Smith  teacher  of  logic,  rhetoric,  natural 
and  moral  jjliilosophy.  Mr.  Smith  accepted  the  position  and  entered 
upon  his  duties  at  the  Academy  in  May,  1754.  The  history  of  the  in- 
stitution from  this  date,  whether  known  as  the  Academy  or  the  College, 
to  1779  is  the  history  of  the  life  of  William  Smith.  Nothing  like  jus- 
tice has  been  done  to  the  work  of  that  man  during  the  quarter  of  a 
century  he  was  connected  with  the  College  of  Philadelphia.  The  change 
wrought  in  the  Academy  from  the  time  he  became  connected  with  it 
was  indeed  very  great.  To  the  three  schools  another,  the  Philosophical, 
was  added  in  which  ethics,  natural  philosophy,  and  rhetoric  were  taught 
to  advanced  pupils  by  Mr.  Smith.  This  form  of  organization  was  pre- 
served for  many  years,  in  fact  until  the  College  was  merged  into  the 
University.  In  the  Philosopliy  School  there  was  for  some  years  a 
senior  and  a  junior  class.  Some  years  before  the  Revolution  mention  is 
made  of  a  freshman  class,  into  which  pupils  from  the  Latin  School, 
after  due  examination,  were  admitted.  The  course  of  instruction  at 
this  time  was  equal  in  extent  to,  if,  in  some  instances,  not  more  advanced 
than  that  usually  pursued  in  the  highest  seminaries,  so  that  there  was 
every  reason  for  believing  that  since  the  Academy  had  been  placed  upon 
a  collegiate  basis  it  should  have  all  the  honors  and  privileges  which 
belong  to  a  college  corporation.  Realizing  the  importance  of  such  a 
step,  Mr.  Smith  and  Dr.  Allison  suggested  to  the  Board  of  Trustees 
the  proprietj'  of  applying  to  the  provincial  government  for  an  additional 
charter,  changing  the  title  of  the  corporation  to  that  of  "The  Trus- 
tees of  the  College,  Academy^  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia," 


A    HISTORICAL    SKETCH   OF   THE    UxNIVERSITY.  219 

and  paving-  it  power  <'to  confer''  degrees  in  arts,  (^ii  May  14,  1755, 
Governor  Morris  gianted  to  the  (corporation  a  new  charter  c^ntinning 
tlie  firstcliarter  and  giving-  powers  for  instituting  a  college  or  "seminary 
of  universal  learning,"  with  the  customary  i)rivilege  of  conferring  de- 
grees. 

Tlie  Charitable  School  was  connected  with  the  College  and  the 
Academy  in  no  other  way  than  that  it  was  under  the  authority  of  the 
same  Board  of  Trustees.  The  College  and  the  Academy  were  much  less 
distinct.  The  College  had  arisen  out  of  the  Philosophy  School  of  the 
Academy;  both  were  under  the  same  Board  of  Trustees  and  both  were 
managed  by  the  same  faculty,  and  the  students  belonging  to  the  dif- 
ferent departments  were  often  mingled  together  in  the  same  classes. 
The  only  distinction  was  that  those  pupils  who  were  candidates  for 
degrees  were  considered  members  of  the  College;  those  who  attended 
merely  the  English  and  Mathematical  Schools,  without  pursuing  clas- 
sical or  philosophical  studies,  members  of  the  Academy.  After  the 
reorganization  in  1755,  the  Latin  and  Philosophy  Schools  were  spoken 
of  as  the  College,  distinct  from  the  other  schools  which  formed  the 
Academy.  One  other  important  change  was  the  substitution  of  Mr. 
Smith  for  Dr.  Allison  as  the  head  of  the  institution,  the  former  becom- 
ing the  provost,  the  latter  the  vice-provost.  This  change  was  made  in 
recognition  of  the  great  services  which  Mr.  Smith  had  rendered  the 
Academy  in  strengthening  its  work  and  placing  it  upon  the  high  basis 
of  a  collegiate  institution  similar  to  that  existing  at  Cambridge. 

The  first  commencement  of  the  College  was  held  on  May  17,  1757, 
when  degree's  in  arts  were  conferred  on  seven  young  men  who  had 
completed  their  education  within  its  walls.'  Thereafter  the  College 
rose  rapidly  in  importance.  The  br«  adth  of  its  plans,  associated 
with  the  wisdom  of  its  management,  obtained  for  it  the  support  of  the 
neighboring  population,  and  soon  it  acquired  a  fame  which  drew 
numerous  students  from  distant  colonies.  From  Maryland,  Virginia, 
and  the  Carolinasit  received  much  siipport;  and  even  in  the  West  Indies 
it  was  preferred  to  the  English  universities  by  many  of  the  planters  aud 
residents.  The  ''■  Plan  of  Education  ''  to  be  pursued  in  the  College  was 
prepared  by  Mr.  Smith  at  the  request  of  Board  of  Trustees,  in  May,  176C, 
and  formed  for  years  the  basis  of  the  American  College  system.  The 
period  of  study  extended  over  ^hree  years  and  comprised  rejidings  in 
Juvenal,  Livy,  Cicero,  Horace's  Ars  Poet  tea,  Quintiliau,  and  the  Tuscu- 
lan  Questions.  The  Iliad,  Pindar,  Thucydidas,  Epictetus,  and  Plato's 
Be  Legibus  formed  the  work  in  Greek.  Mathematics  occupied  a  promi- 
nent position  in  the  course  of  study,  and  during  the  last  two  years  con- 
siderable work  was  done  in  natural  philosophy,  chemistry,  hydrostatics, 
pneumatics,  optics,  and  astronomy.  Ethics  aud  politics,  natuial  aud 
civil  law,  and  history  formed  a  group  of  subjects  to  which  more  than 

'  Tlie  names  of  these  earliest  fjradnates  were  Paul  Jackson,  Jacob  I)ach<5,  Francis 
Hopkinson,  Samuel  Magaw,  Hugh  Williamson,  Jamea  Latta,  and  John  Morgan. 


220  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

usual  attention  was  given  while  Provost  Smith  had  the  administration 
of  the  College  in  his  care.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  at  that  day  no  institution 
of  learning  in  America  offered  a  course  of  study  equal  in  extent  and  so 
liberalizing  in  its  influence  as  did  the  College  of  Philadelphia.  Both 
in  the  advantages  it  offered  and  the  actual  support  which  it  received 
it  was,  perhaps,  unrivaled,  certainly  not  surpassed,  by  any  of  the  col- 
leges at  that  time  existing  in  the  colonies.  Only  two  years  after  the 
charter  was  granted  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  institution  amounted 
to  about  three  hundred,  one-third  of  whom  were  members  of  the  College. 
In  the  year  1763,  according  to  a  statement  made  by  the  provost,  nearly 
four  hundred  individuals  were  receiving  their  education  in  the  various 
branches  of  the  institution  under  his  charge.  Fully  to  appreciate  this 
we  must  remember  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  colonies  at  that  period. 
The  population  was  sparse,  the  country  was  poor  and  had  just  emerged 
from  a  long  and  cruel  war  which  tested  to  the  utmost  the  endurance  of 
the  America  people.  Such  a  record  as  the  College  shows  in  that  period 
of  storm  and  stress  can  only  deepen  our  sense  of  obHgation  to  the  men 
who  were  holding  up  high  ideals  of  intellectual  life  and  endeavor  at 
that  time. 

At  this  period  of  its  activity  the  College  took  a  step  that  marked  the 
beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  American  educational  history.  Later  in 
origin  than  some  similar  institutions  in  the  older  colonies,  the  College 
of  Philadelphia  may  nevertheless  boast  the  honor  of  having  established 
the  first  medical  school  in  America.  Dr.  William  Shippen  was  much 
interested  in  some  such  scheme  for  medical  instruction  and  succeeded 
in  obtaining  the  cooperation  of  Dr.  John  Morgan,  one  of  the  first  grad- 
uates of  the  College,  interested  in  the  institution  of  a  medical  school  in 
this  city.  Dr.  Morgan  was  prosecuting  his  medical  studies  in  England 
at  the  time  and  succeeded  in  securing  the  favor  of  several  influential 
gentlemen  in  that  country.  He  returned  to  Philadelphia  with  letters 
to  the  trustees  from  Mr.  James  Hamilton,  the  Rev.  Richard  Peters,  both 
former  presidents  of  the  board,  and  from  Thomas  Penn,  the  proprietor, 
stiongly  advising  the  adoption  of  his  plan  and  recommending  the  doctor 
himself  to  their  choice  as  one  of  the  professors.  At  a  special  meeting, 
May  3, 1765,  the  board  approved  the  scheme  and  appointed  Dr.  Morgan 
to  the  professorship  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  x^hysic.  The  follow- 
ing September  Dr.  William  Shippen  was  elected  professor  of  anatomy 
and  surgery;  and  the  organization  was  afterwards  completed  by  the 
addition  of  Dr.  Adam  Kuhn  as  professor  of  botany  and  materia  niedica, 
and  Dr.  Benj.  Rush,  professor  of  chemistry.  The  first  medical  com- 
mencement was  held  on  June  21,  1768,  when  ten  men  were  given  the 
degree  of  bachelor  of  medicine. 

The  extraordinary  activity  of  Dr.  Smith  succeeded  in  many  ways  in 
making  the  College  a  prominent  institution  in  the  province.  Outside 
of  his  duties  as  provost  he  was  an  earnest  worker  in  the  church,  in 
the  field  of  science,  literatuie,  and  education,  and  at  times  he  took  an 


A    HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.  221 

active  part  iu  the  disciissiou  of  the  political  and  social  questious  of  the 
day.  He  sided  with  the  war  party  agaijist  the  party  of  peace,  and  was 
never  in  sympathy  with  either  the  political  principles  or  the  religious 
doctrinesof  the  Friends  acting  with  the  Proprietaries  against  the  popular 
party.  A  long  and,  at  times,  bitter  controversy  arose  between  the  as 
sembly  and  Dr.  Smith.  Thrown  into  Walnut-street  jail,  in  1758,  by  the 
Provincial  Assembly  for  publishing  an  alleged  libel  d<'rogatory  to  it« 
privileges,  he  undauntedly  continued  in  prison  his  lectures  to  his  <-la«s<'s, 
the  students  going  to  the  jail  to  meet  him.  All  tliis  naturally  tended 
to  bring  the  College  very  promiuently  before  the  public,  and  caused  it 
in  the  end  to  suffer,  along  with  Dr.  Smith  and  his  friends,  at  the  hands 
of  the  popular  party  in  the  Assembly. 

In  1759  Dr. Smith  went  to  England  to  secure  redress  at  the  hands  of 
the  Proprietors  for  the  indignities  which  had  been  heaped  uix)n  him  by 
the  Assembly.  There  he  was  received  with  great  honor  and  wa.s  given 
the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  by  Oxford,  Abenleen,  and  Dublin.  On 
his  return  from  England,  where  his  mission  had  been  a  success  in  every 
way.  Dr.  Smith  found  that  the  resources  of  the  College  were  by  no 
means  adequate  to  sustain  the  growth  which  the  institution  had  ex- 
perienced during  the  five  years  which  had  seen  him  provost.  IjO<"al 
supj)ort  had  been  strained  to  the  utmost,  and  there  seemecl  no  possibility 
of  raising  any  more  funds.  Dr.  Smith  assured  the  trustees  of  the 
favorable  disposition  of  influential  i^ersons  in  England  towards  the 
College,  and  it  was  determined  to  send  him  on  another  voyage  across 
the  Atlantic.  Furnished  with  the  proper  credentials.  Dr.  Smith  sailed 
for  England,  where  he  arrived  early  in  1762,  An  appeal  was  made  to 
the  King,  to  the  Proprietors,  and  to  the  people  of  England,  setting  forth 
the  needs  of  the  College.  The  re.sponse  to  this  appeal  by  George  III, 
the  Penns,  and  the  P]nglish  peojile  was  so  liberal  that  Dr.  Smith  re 
turned  to  America  with  a  subscription  amounting  to  over  £6,<)()0.  Ten 
years  later  the  trustees  set  on  foot  another  subscription  in  the  colonies, 
from  which  considerable  was  oI)taiued,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Dr. 
Smith,  who  added  in  all  about  £2(>,()0()  to  the  funds  of  the  College. 

The  ready  response  of  the  English  friends  of  the  College  was  acknowl- 
edged in  an  unmistakable  manner.  In  the  answer  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  to  the  letters  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  Dr,  Samuel 
Chandler,  an  eminent  Dissenter,  paying  a  tribute  to  the  work  of  the 
College,  after  expressing  its  thanks  for  the  attention  which  the  gentle- 
men devoted  to  the  prosperity  of  the  College,  adopted  on  June  14,1764, 
a  fundamental  rule  or  declaration,  which  is  as  follows: 

The  Trustees  being  ever  desirous  to  promote  the  Peace  and  Prosperity  of  this 
Seminary  and  to  give  Satisfaction  to  all  its  worthy  Benefactors,  have  taken  the  above 
Letter  (the  Archbishop's)  into  serious  Consideration,  and  pt-rfectly  approving  the 
Sentiments  therein  contained,  do  order  the  same  to  be  inserted  in  their  Books,  that  it 
may  remain  perpetually  declarator!/  of  the  present  icide  and  excellent  Plan  of  this  In- 
stitution, which  hath  not  f.nly  met  with  the  approbation  of  the  jin-at  and  worthy 
Personages  above  mentioned,  but  even  the  Royal  Sanction  of  his  Majesty  himself. 


222  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

They  further  declare  that  they  will  keep  this  Plan  closely  in  their  View,  and  use  their 
utmost  tndeavor  that  the  same  he  xot  xarkowed,  nor  the  members  of  the  Church  of 
England  or  those  dissenting  from  them  (in  any  future  Election  to  the  j)rincipal  offices 
mentioned  in  the  aforesaid  Letter  ')  be  put  on  any  worse  Footing  in  this  Seminary  than 
they  are  at  the  Time  of  obtaining  the  Royal  Brief.  They  subscribe  this  with  their 
names  and  ordain  that  the  same  be  read  and  subscribed  by  every  neiw  Trustee  that 
shall  hereafter  be  elected  before  he  takes  his  seat  in  the  Board, 

Fifteen  years  later  this  miuiite  of  the  trustees,  binding  themselves  to 
preserve  inviolate  the  original  broad  and  liberal  plan  of  the  College, 
was  made  a  pretext  for  abrogating  its  cliarter  and  privileges.  The 
political  activity  of  the  provost  was  the  means  of  drawing  down  upon 
^  the  College  the  wrath  of  the  Assembly.  Althongh  Dr.  Smith  was  able 
to  sustain  his  position  and  was  for  a  time  victorious  over  his  enemies, 
the  time  came  when  they  were  only  too  eager  to  overthrow  liiin.  The 
opportunity  arrived  with  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle 
and  the  consequent  overthrow  of  the  Proprietary  Government  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  provost  was  well  aware  of  the  animus  of  the  Assembly, 
and  that  the  first  effort  to  crush  him  would  be  by  an  attack  on  the  Col- 
lege. Aside  from  the  unpopularity  of  Dr.  Smith,  many  of  the  trustees 
were  known  to  be  unfavorable  to  the  colonial  cause;  some  of  them  had 
left  with  the  British  troops  when  Howe  evacuated  the  city.  The  fact 
also  that  the  College  had  been  fostered  by  English  liberality,  had  been 
largely  endowed  by  the  Proprietors,  and  had  even  enjoyed  the  favor  of 
George  III,  while  from  the  Legislature  of  the  Province  it  had  nothing 
but  neglect,  strengthened  the  feeling  that  it  was  strongly  attached  to 
the  Tory  interest.  Nevertheless  every  effort  was  made  to  conciliate  the 
new  authorities,  and  no  public  act  was  committed  which  couM  afford 
ground  for  offense.  Indeed  it  is  hard  at  this  day  to  see  what  fault 
could  be  found  with  Dr.  Smith.  He  threw  himself  with  great  energy 
into  the  cause  of  the  colonists,  wrote  pamphlets  advocating  iudej)end- 
ence,  and  preached  sermons  on  the  war;  these  served  to  carry  his  name 
from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other  as  that  of  a  sound  patriot. 
Invitations  were  extended  to  members  of  the  Congress  and  to  the  State 
officials  to  attend  the  commencement  which  succeeded  the  first  meeting 
of  the  Continental  Congress;  the  delegates  proceeded  in  a  body  from 
the  State  House  to  the  College.  To  guard  still  further  against  the 
effects  of  that  political  excitement  whicli  there  was  reason  to  fear  might 
be  directed  fatally  against  the  College,  an  effort  was  made  to  secure  a 
confirmation  of  the  charter  and  privileges  of  the  institution  by  a  con- 
stitutional guaranty.  In  t\w,  summer  of  1776,  while  the  convention  of 
Pennsylvania  was  engaged  in  fi-aming  a  State  constitution,  as  advised 
by  the  Congress,  Dr.  Smith,  in  company  with  others  interested  in  cor- 

'  This  refers  to  a  portion  of  the  Archbishop's  letter,  where,  speaking  of  the  fact 
that  nearly  every  religious  denomination  was  represented  in  the  faculty  of  the  Col- 
lege, he  remarks  that  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  any  sect  in  the  ftiture  attempt- 
ing to  put  the  rest  on  a  worse  footing  than  they  were  at  the  time  of  the  appeal  of 
the  College  for  funds. 


A   HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF   THE    UNIVERSITY.  223 

porate  concerns,  proposed  that  an  article  should  be  inserted  in  the  lon- 
stitutiou  securing  the  inviolability  of  chartered  rights.  The  article  was 
drawn  up,  introduced  by  Franklin  in  the  convention,  aud  a«lopted. 
This  secured  to  all  societies  "  incorporated  for  the  advauceiueut  of  re- 
ligion and  learning,  or  for  other  pious  or  charitable  jmrposes,"  the  en- 
joyment of  those  rights  and  privileges  of  which  they  were  possessed 
under  the  former  laws  of  the  Commonwealth. 

The  College  was  closed  during  the  occupation  of  Philadelphia  by  the 
British,  and  had  in  the  meantime  begun  to  suffer  from  the  general  de 
structive  influences  of  the  war.  Its  property  had  depreciated,  its  funds 
had  been  reduced  to  a  very  small  amount,  and  altogether  theinstitutiou 
was  in  an  impoverished  condition.  Opened  almost  immediately  uiwn 
the  departure  of  the  British  army,  it  was  not  long  before  a  disposition  on 
the  part  of  the  public  authorities  was  manifested  to  interfere  in  the  affairs 
of  the  institution.  This  was  shown  by  a  vote  of  the  General  Assembly, 
February  23,  1779,  appointing  a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  "present 
state  of  the  College  and  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  its  rise,  funds,  etc.," 
and  giving  the  committee  power  "to  send  for  persons  and  papers  for 
that  purpose."  In  answer  to  the  questions  of  the  investigating  com- 
mittee. Dr.  Smith  prepared  a  long  paper,  which  Avas  inserted  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  giving  an  account  of  the  origin  of 
the  College,  the  motives  and  principles  of  its  establishment,  the  success 
which  had  attended  its  efforts,  and  the  state  of  its  affairs  at  the  time  of 
the  investigation.  No  action  was  taken  by  the  legislature  upon  the 
report  of  this  committee,  and  it  adjourned  without  making  any  decision 
as  to  the  future  of  the  College.  But  w^hen  the  5th  of  July  came,  the 
commencement  to  be  held  that  day  was  postponed  at  the  request  of 
Gen.  Reed,  president  of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  State,  who  informed 
the  trustees  that  some  reason  had  been  advanced  in  the  Council  against 
proceeding  at  present  with  the  College  work.  Three  days  after  this 
the  board  adopted  a  resolution  which  showed  very  plainly  what  antici- 
I>atiou  they  had  of  the  tight  in  store  for  them.  Upon  motion  it  was 
agreed  that —  ' 

As  the  Presidejit  of  the  State  has  thought  proper  to  inform  this  Board,  through 
some  of  its  members,  th.at  there  are  certain  leffal  objerlioiia  to  the  exercise  of  some  of 
their  Kights  under  their  Charter,  and  to  advise  the  not  holding  a  Commencement  at 
the  Time  appointed,  the  Board  have  for  the  Present  deferred  holding  the  Commence- 
ment from  an  Expectation  that  some  mode  will  lie  speetlily  adopted  on  the  Part  of 
the  Government  to  draw  such  their  Rights  in  Quest iou  in  a  legal  way,  when  this 
Board  will  take  the  proper  Steps  to  defend  their  Charter  according  to  Law. 

At  the  opening  of  the  next  session,  in  the  month  of  September,  the 
affairs  of  the  College  were  again  brought  before  the  legislature  in  the 
message  of  President  Reed.  In  that  document  Gen.  Reed  said,  refer- 
ring to  the  College,  that  it  "appears  by  its  charter  to  have  allied  itself 
*  *  *  closely  to  the  Government  of  Britain  by  making  the  allegiance 
of  it«  governor  to  that  State  a  prerequisite  to  any  official  act,"  and  that 
he  could  not  think  "  the  good  people  of  this  State  can  or  ought  to  rest 


224  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

satisfied  or  the  piotection  of  the  Governuieut  be  extended  to  an  insti- 
tution framed  with  such  attachments  to  the  British  Government,  and 
conducted  Avith  a  general  inattention  to  the  authority  of  the  State." 

Following  upon  this  message  of  the  President  of  the  State  came  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  of  five  to  make  further  inquiry  into  the 
state  of  the  College.  This  committee  made  a  report,  from  which  two 
of  the  members  dissented,  recommending  a  bill  which  should  "  secure 
to  every  denomination  of  Christians  equal  privileges,  and  establish 
said  College  on  a  liberal  foundation,  in  wliich  the  interests  of  American 
liberty  and  independence  will  be  advanced  and  promoted,  and  obedience 
and  respect  to  the  constitution  of  the  State  preserved."  Accordingly 
an  act  of  assembly  was  passed,  November  27,  1770,  making  void  the 
charters  of  1753  and  1755,  and  prov-iding  for  the  creation  of  a  new  cor- 
poration to  be  known  by  the  name  of  "  The  Trustees  of  the  University 
of  tue  State  of  Pennsylvania." 

The  report  of  the  September  committee,  after  repeating  the  charges 
contained  in  the  President's  message,  declared  that  several  of  the 
trustees,  having  joined  the  British  army,  stood  attainted  as  traitors, 
and  others  had  not,  by  taking  the  test,  qualified  themselves  legally  to 
fulfill  the  duties  of  their  office;  that  the  lunds  of  the  institution  were 
utterly  inadequate  to  the  proper  support  of  an  institution  of  learning, 
and  that  the  original  and  fundamental  principle  of  the  College,  by  which 
it  was  bound  to  aflford  perfect  equality  of  privileges  to  all  religious 
denominations,  had  not  been  fully  maintained. 

The  weakness  of  the  position  of  the  opponents  of  the  College  was 
glaringly  apparent  in  the  last  charge.  In  the  report  of  the  committee 
reference  is  there  made  to  a  vote  or  by-law  adopted  by  the  trustees 
June  14,  1764,  where  they  "departed  [sic]  in  the  management  of  the 
institution  from  the  free  and  unlimited  Catholicism  of  its  original 
founders."  On  referring  to  this  by-law  it  is  found  to  be  the  fundamental 
declaration  ado})ted  by  the  trustees  in  regard  to  the  use  of  the  money 
collected  in  England  by  Dr.  Smith. 

The  otlKir  charges  were  just  as  ill  founded.  All  oaths  acknowledg- 
ing the  royal  supremacy  lost  their  obligation  upon  the  establishment  of 
the  new  Government.  Furthermore,  the  oaths  which  had  been  exacted 
from  the  College  authorities  were  precisely  the  same  as  those  which 
had  been  required  of  any  one  called  to  fill  any  civil  office  in  the  Prov- 
ince prior  to  the  Revolution,  and  the  trustees  were  therefore  in  exactly 
the  same  position  as  any  one  who  had  ever  held  office  under  the  Crown. 
The  test  oath,  which  the  assembly  had  enacted,  directed  that  on 
June  13,  1777,  every  white  person  above  the  age  of  18  should  take 
an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  State;  and  by  another  vote  on  April  1, 
1778,  enacted  that  all  trustees,  provosts,  professors,  and  masters 
should  take  the  same  oath  before  June  1  of  that  year  or  forfeit  their 
offices.  As  a  matter  of  fact  twelve  of  the  trustees,  the  provost,  and  all 
the  professors  of  the  College  had  taken  the  oath  required  by  law  oefore 


A   HISTORICAL   SKETCH   OF   THE   UNIVERSITY.  225 

June  1,  1778.  And  by  November,  1779,  when  the  charter  was  taken 
away,  the  Board  of  Trustees  had  the  full  quota  re(|uired  by  law,  twenty- 
one  of  Avhom  had  previously  taken  the  oath,  the  three  who  ha<l  not 
done  so  being  Richard  Penn,  William  Allen,  and  Dr.  Bond.  Curiously 
enough,  after  all  that  had  been  said  in  support  of  the  abrogation  of  the 
College  charter,  and  notwithstanding  his  allegell  disqualification,  Dr. 
Bond  was  named  as  a  trustee  of  the .  new  coi-poration  created  by  the 
act  of  1779,  as  were  also  three  others,  who  had  not  only  not  taken  the 
oath  to  the  State,  but  had  just  Lefore  taken  it  to  the  King,  one  of  whom 
had  served  as  chaplain  in  the  British  army  while  it  occupied  Phila- 
delphia. In  addition  to  all  this  it  is  evident  that  the  act  of  the  assem- 
bly was  unconstitutional,  violating  the  clause  of  the  State  constitution 
which  especially  forbade  the  spoliation  of  property  held  for  the  use  of 
churches,  colleges,  and  hospitals.  Its  illegality  is  still  further  seen  in 
holding  the  corporation  liable  for  the  misconduct  of  a  trustee,  it  being 
a  well  settled  rule  that  such  misconduct  can  work  no  forfeiture  of  trust. 
Nor  are  alleged  infractions  of  a  charter  to  be  determined  by  legisla- 
tive but  by  judicial  proceedings. 

All  this  illustrates  only  too  well  that  blindness  and  perversion  of 
judgment  to  which  the  best  men  are  liable  when  under  the  influence  of 
violent  political  excitement.  After  all  is  said  in  extenuation  of  the 
action  of  the  assembly,  that  it  was  in  line  with  the  policy  of  the  State 
and  for  such  reasons  had  to  be  carried  through,  nothing  is  plainer  than 
that  the  entire  proceeding  was  an  attempt  to  destroy  the  reputation  of 
a  set  of  men  for  no  other  reason  than  they  had  made  themselves  obnox- 
ious to  tlie  party  which  at  last  had  obtained  control  of  the  State  gov- 
ernment and  was  determined  to  make  its  new-gained  power  felt. 
The  act  of  1779  was  the  severest  blow  ever  given  the  educational  inter- 
ests of  the  Commonwealth.  Up  to  that  year  the  State  had  done  nothing 
to  advance  the  cause  of  higher  education  and  but  little  for  that  of  ele- 
mentary education.  The  College  never  fully  recovered  from  the  blow 
which  came  at  a  very  critical  period  of  its  history;  it  is  only  within  our 
own  day  that  it  has  shown  any  signs  of  taking  the  place  in  American 
education  which  rightly  belongs  to  it,  and  which  it  held  before  the  close 
of  the  last  century. 

The  newly  established  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  seems 
to  have  been  ill-favored  from  the  start.  Whatever  interesLthere  was 
in  higher  education  in  Philadelphia  and  throughout  the  province  in 
1779  was  confined  almost  entirely  to  those  who  were  attached  to  the 
fortunes  of  the  College.  Many  more  resented  the  treatment  which  the 
College  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the  assembly,  as  prompted  l>y  a 
spirit  of  spohation  rather  than  an  effort  to  reorganize  and  strengthen 
the  only  institution  for  higheF learning  in  the  State.  Nor  was  the  time 
propitious  for  the  establishment  of  another  institution  of  high  grade. 
Men's  energies  were  absorbed  in  a  great  political  struggle,  fortunes  had 
been  destroyed  or  were  in  imminent  danger  of  destruction,  and  many 
H80 15 


226  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

who  desired  to  assist  a  new  institution  found  that  it  was  altogether 
beyond  their  power.  The  new  University  had  indeed  a  struggle  for  ex- 
istence. Efforts  were  made  to  have  the  legislature  reconsider  its  action 
of  1779,  and  at  the  session  of  1784,  in  September,  the  trustees  of  the 
College  and  Dr.  Smith,  presented  a  petition  asking  that  so  much  of  the 
a<;t  of  1779  as  took* away  tlieir  estates  and  franchises  should  be  re- 
pealed. The  petition  was  reported  favorably  by  the  committee  in 
charge,  but  when  the  vote  was  called  no  quorum  was  present;  the  mi- 
nority left  the  house,  thus  dissolving  the  assembly.  Nothing  more  was 
done  for  several  years,  when  on  March  6, 1789,  a  bill  was  passed  rei^eal- 
ing  "  80  much  and  all  such  parts  of  an  act  of  general  assembly  of  tliis 
Commonwealth  passed  on  the  *  *  ♦  twenty-seventh  day  of  Novem- 
ber, in  the  j^ear  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine,  entitled,  etc.,"  and  stating  in  the  preamble  that  the  act  of  1779 
was  "repugnant  to  justice,  a  violation  of  the  constitution  of  this  Com- 
monwealth, and  dangerous  in  its  precedent  to  all  incorporated  bodies 
and  to  the  rights  and  franchises  thereof."  The  College  was  thus  re- 
established in  its  old  privileges  and  franchises  with  Dr.  Smith  as  provost. 

But  it  was  found  that  there  was  no  room  for  two  rival  educational 
institutions  in  the  city  and  that  the  cause  of  higher  education  would 
be  advanced  by  a  consolidation  of  the  College  with  the  University. 
Tlie  trustees  of  both  institutions  united  in  an  application  to  the  assembly 
asking  that  the  charters  of  both  might  be  surrendered  and  a  new  cor- 
poration created,  to  be  governed  by  a  Board  of  Trustees  composed  of 
an  equal  number  taken  from  the  College  and  the  University.  The 
petition  was  favorably  received,  and  the  assembly,  on  September  31, 
1791,  passed  an  act  uniting  the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia, 
creating  a  new  coriwration,  to  be  known  as  "The  Trustees  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania." 

Upon  the  consolidation  of  the  legal  interests  of  two  old  institutions 
it  was  found  rather  difficult  to  effect  a  satisfactory  arrangement  of  the 
internal  affairs  of  the  new  institution.  It  was  clearly  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, owing  to  the  financial  condition,  to  attempt  any  such  expansion 
as  would  embrace  all  the  professors  and  teachers  who  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  old  College  and  the  short-lived  State  University;  and 
yet  there  were  reasons  why  some  effort  should  be  made  that  would 
include  as  many  of  them  in  the  new  scheme  as  far  as  its  purpose  would 
permit.  Notwithstanding  the  difl&culty  of  the  plan  a  reorganization 
was  finally  secured  which  in  a  measure  solved  the  problem.  Excluding 
the  Charitable  School,  there  were  to  be  three  "departments" — the  Arts, 
Law,  and  Medicine.  The  Department  of  Arts  included  five  separate 
s('hool8  under  the  care  of  six  professoVs  and  necessary  assistants.  In 
the  Philosophy  School,  the  nucleus  of  the  College,  there  were  to  be  two 
professors,  one  of  Natural  Philosophy,  the  other  of  Moral  Philosophy. 
The  four  remainifag  schools  were  each  to  have  a  distinct  professor;  the 


A    HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF   THE    UNIVERSITY.  227 

Grammar  School,  a  professor  of  Latin  ami  Greek;  the  Mathematical 
School,  a  professor  of  mathematics;  the  English  School,  a  professor  of 
English  and  belles-lettres;  and  the  German  School,  a  professor  of  CJer- 
man  and  oriental  languages.  To  fill  .these  six  professorships,  three 
individuals  were  chosen  out  of  each  of  the  former  faculties,  in  con- 
formity with  the  provision  of  the  act  of  union  by  which  the  trustees 
were  bound  to  select  the  officers  of  the  new  Diiiversity  equally  from  the 
two  seminaries.  The  result  was  that  but  two  of  the  late  professors 
were  omitted — Dr.  Smith,  of  the  College,  and  Dr.  Magaw,  of  the  Uni- 
versity; the  former,  owing  to  age  and  infirmities  and  probably  the 
presence  of  a  little  of  the  old  political  animosity,  quietly  withdrew, 
while  the  latter,  fearing  that  he  might  stand  in  the  way  of  his  friend 
Dr.  Andrews,  who  was  afterwards  elected  vice-provost,  declined  a  nom- 
ination. To  complete  the  organization.  Dr.  John  Ewing,  who  filled  the 
chair  of  natural  philosophy  and  who  had  been  the  provost  of  the  State 
University,  was  elected  provost  of  the  new  institution. 

The  German  School  was  the  outcome  of  the  efforts  of  the  German 
Society  and  of  the  old  University  authorities  to  meet  the  wants  of  the 
German  population  of  the  State.  German  had  been  a  prominent  stndy 
in  the  College,  and  in  1785  a  professorship  was  created  to  carry  on 
instruction  in  the  same  tongue  throughout  the  whole  University  course. 
The  project,  though  promising  success  at  first,  did  not  Succeed.  The 
number  of  German  students  in  1785  was  60,  being  in  excess  of  the 
number  of  English  students,  but  the  next  year  it  had  dwindled  down 
to  six.  In  1788  the  Department  was  closed,  and  the  same  year  saw 
the  opening  of  the  German  College  in  Lancaster  County,  now  known 
as  Franklin  and  Marshall  College. 

The  Law  Department,  like  the  Medical  School,  was  the  first  institu- 
tion of  its  kind  in  America.  It  was  the  result  of  the  efforts  of  the 
College  authorities,  soon  after  the  revival  of  that  institution,  to  provide 
legal  instruction  for  all  those  who  were  desirous  of  preparing  them- 
selves for  the  profession.  In  1790  the  Trustees  of  the  College  elected 
the  Hon.  James  Wilson,  a  member  of  the  board  and  one  of  the  Asso- 
ciate Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  Professor  of 
Law.  From  this  dates  the  birth  of  the  present  Law  School  of  the 
University. 

During  Dr.  Ewing's  term  as  provost  there  were  but  few  changes, 
one  of  the  most  important  being  the  removal  of  the  University  from  ite 
old  home  on  Fourth  street  to  a  site  nearer  the  center  of  the  city.  In 
1791  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  appropriated  money  for  the 
erection  of  a  building  to  be  used  as  the  residence  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States.  A  lot  of  ground  was  bought,  situated  on  the  west 
side  of  Ninth  street  and  extending  from  ^larket  to  Chestnut  streets, 
upon  which  was  erectM  what  was  then  considered  a  very  handsome 
mansion.  Though  the  house  had  been  built  expressly  for  the  use  of 
Washington,  he  never  occupied  it,  as  it  was  not  finished  until  1797,  and 


228'  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

President  Adams,  declining  to  receive  favors  from  the  Legislature, 
would  not  accept  it.  There  being  no  use  for  the  buildings,  they  were 
sold  at  public  auction  in  March,  1800,  and  bought  by  the  University 
for  $41,050,  less  than  half  thejr  original  cost.  After  some  nece*>sary 
alterations,  the  departments  were  finally  transferred  to  their  new 
quarters  in  the  spring  of  1802,  where  they  remained  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  a  century.  XJie  same  year  Dr.  Ewing  died,  and  it  was  not 
until  1807  that  his  successor  was  chosen  in  the  person  of  Dr.  John 
McDowell,  who  the  year  before  had  been  elected  professor  of  natural 
philosophy.  Three  years  had  scarcely  elapsed  before  Dr.  McDowell 
was  forced  to  resign  through  ill  health  and  the  trus'tees  were  embar- 
rassed whom  to  choose  for  his  successor.  Dr.  Andrews,  who  had  been 
vice-provost  for  nearly  twenty  years  in  the  College  and  in  the  Uni- 
versity, was  elected  provost  in  1810.  Owing  to  ill  health,  he  too  was 
compelled  to  resign  and  the  Rev.  Frederick  Beaseley  was  elected  suc- 
cessor in  July,  1813. 

By  the  time  of  the  election  of  Mr.  Beasley  the  condition  of  the  Uni- 
versity was  far  from  being  satisfactory.  Though  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment continued  to  grow,  the  College  Department  received  fewer  students 
every  year.  In  1791  there  were  but  twelve  students  in  the  two  highest 
classes  of  the  College,  the  numbers  qualified  to  be  graduated  were  in  sev- 
eral instances  so  few  that  it  was  deemed  unnecessary  and  impolitic  to 
hold  commencements,  and  when  the  practice  of  conferring  degrees  pub- 
licly was  resumed,  it  not  unfrequently  hai)pened  that  only  five  or  six 
individuals  appeared  as  candidates  for  the  honors.  The  institution 
came  to  be  regarded  as  a  seminary  of  inferior  grade,  and  undoubtedly 
had  fallen  behind  many  others  of  which  it  had  enjoyed  the  unques- 
tioned precedence.  In  1810  a  reorganization  of  the  College  was  car- 
ried through,  doing  away  with  the  so-called  "  schools,"  and  arranging  the 
students  into  three  classes:  freshman,  junior,  and  senior.'  The  cur- 
riculum was  modified  and  rearranged,  and  in  general  made  to  conform 
to  the  new  conditions  which  had  arisen  since  the  opening  of  the  cen- 
tury. But  in  one  direction  the  reorganization  seriously  weakened  the 
College  in  that  it  abolished  the  last  remnant  of  Franklin's  plan  for  a 
liberal  English  education.  Up  to  1810  the  professorship  of  English 
and  belles-lettres  was  nominally  on  a  footing  with  the  other  profes- 
sorships, but  was  in  fact  regarded  as  something  of  so  little  importance 
to  the  University  that  it  could  be  abolished,  and  with  it  went  Avhat 
was  left  of  the  English  school.  In  1817  Mr.  Charles  W.  Hare  at- 
tempted to  revive  the  Department  of  Law,  which  had  been  neglected 
since  the  death  of  Justice  Wilson.  Although  it  was  something  of  a 
success,  the  project  was  abandoned,  to  be  attempted  again  some  thirty 
years  later.  The  year  preceding,  the  Board  of  Trustees  created  a  new 
department  to  be  devoted  to  the  study  of  natural  stdence.  This  de- 
partment was  organized  with  five  professors,  and  annual  courses  of 

'  Shortly  after  this  »  fourth  year  was  addetl  to  the  college  course, 


A  HISTORICAL   SKETCH  OF  THE   UNIVERSITY.  229 

lectures  to  be  publicly  delivered  were  required  by  the  regulations. 
The  course  of  instruction  embraced  natural  philosophy,  botany,  natural 
history,  mineralogy,  chemistry  applied  to  agriculture  and  the  art«,  and 
comparative  anatomy.  The  support  given  by  the  public,  however,  wa.>* 
not  sufficient  to  compensate  for  the  eftbrts  put  forth,  the  professors 
were  badly  paid,  and  the  department  soon  fell  into  neglect.  It  was 
abolished  shortly  after  the  establishment  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  in 
1824,  which  rendered,  it  was  said  at  the  time,  such  a  department  in 
the  University  "unnecessary." 

Mr.  Beasley  resigned  in  1828,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  William  H. 
De  Laucey.  During  the  five  years  of  Dr.  De  Lancey's  provostship  a 
spirit  of  progress  pervaded  the  University.  When  he  was  elected,  iu 
1828,  there  were  but  twenty-one  students  in  the  College  Department, 
but  by  1833  the  number  had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five. 
Called  to  other  work,  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  John  Ludlow,  who  re- 
mained iu  office  to  1853.  Among  the  services  which  Dr.  Ludlow  ren- 
dered the  University  was  the  interest  taken  in  the  second  revival  of 
the  Law  Department — this  time  successful — under  the  influence  of 
Judge  Sharswood.  Henry  Vethake  was  elected  to  succeed  Dr.  Ludlow 
iu  1853,  and  he  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Daniel  R.  Goodwin  iu 
1860.  Dr.  Goodwin  was  iustrumental  in  strengthening  the  spirit  of 
instruction  and  bringing  about  an  air  of  discipline,  from  the  lack  of 
which  the  University  was  suffering.  A  new  department,  that  known 
as  the  Auxiliary  Department  of  Medicine,  was  founded  in  1865,  through 
the  liberality  of  Dr.  George  B.  Wood,  who  provided  for  its  maintenance 
during  his  lifetime  and  its  endowment  after  his  death.  Owing  to  his 
interest  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  Dr.  Goodwin  was  led  to  resign  iu  1868, 
when  Dr.  Charles  J.  Stille  was  elected  his  successor. 

With  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Goodwin  the  old  regime  of  University 
administration  came  to  an  end.  From  E wing's  day  down  to  the  elec- 
tion of  Dr.  Stille — over  three-quarters  of  a  century — the  spirit  of  that 
administration  had  been  that  of  the  old  traditional  college.  Now  and 
then  there  had  been  a  little  burst  of  enthusiasm,  as  under  Beasley 
and  De  Lancey,  only  to  fall  into  the  old  methods,  the  old  idea-^,  and 
the  old  purposes  of  what  was  then  considered  the  scheme  of  higher 
education  in  America. 

Dr.  Stills  had  been  elected  professor  of  English  literature  in  1866, 
and  the  spirit  with  which  he  entered  upon  his  work  soon  brought  him 
to  be  recognized  as  the  man  who  could  uiulertjike  the  reorganization  of 
the  University,  and  make  it  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name  what  it  pret^^nded 
to  be.  The  condition  of  the  University  was  discouraging  when  Dr. 
Stills  was  elected  provost  in  1868.  The  course  of  study  in  the  College 
Department  was  substantially  that  which  had  been  introduced  by  Dr. 
Smith  into  the  old  College  of  Philadelphia  in  1755.  Several  efforts 
liad  been  made,  especially  in  1842-'43  through  Bishop  Potter,  to  revise 
the  curriculum  and  give  it  more  breadth,  but  they  resulted  iu  failure, 


230  THE  UNIVERSITY   OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

and  were  denounced  as  attempts  to  ''Germanize"  our  American  col- 
leges! One  fact  alone  will  illustrate  the  degree  of  public  interest  in 
the  University.  For  more  than  eighty  years  before  Dr.  Stille  became 
provost  the  University  had  received  but  one  donation,  that  of  Mi-. 
Elliot  Cresson  of  $5,000,  the  income  of  which  was  to  be  devoted  to  aid 
in  the  instruction  of  drawing,  a  subject  which  was  not  then  in  the 
University  course  of  study. 

The  first  great  change  was  the  revision  of  the  curriculum  and  the 
introduction  of  the  elective  system  of  studies.  This  was  proposed  in 
December,  1866,  was  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  went  into 
operation  September,  1867.  The  board  at  the  sauie  time  began  to  look 
to  the  strengthening  of  the  financial  side  of  the  University,  and  appointed 
a  committee,  with  Mr.  John  Welsh  as  chairman,  to  procure  an  endow- 
ment fund  of  $500,000.  Unfortunately  for  the  University,  Mr.  Welsh 
was  called  to  the  Court  of  St.  James  and  the  community  did  not  respond 
to  the  appeal  for  endowment.  In  the  spring  of  1868,  Mr.  Nathaniel  B. 
Brown  brought  to  tlie  notice  of  the  board  a  plan  by  which  he  thought 
the  endowment  fund  could  be  completed.  He  proposed  that  the  city 
should  be  asked  to  sell  to  the  University  for  a  nominal  compensation 
twenty-five  or  thirty  acres  of  the  alms-house  farm  in  West  Philadelphia, 
a  portion  of  which  might  be  used  as  a  site  for  the  erection  of  buildings 
suitable  for  the  proposed  and  enlarged  system  of  instruction  including  a 
Scientific  School,  and  that  the  rest  might  be  sold  as  occasion  should 
present  and  the  proceeds  be  paid  into  the  endowment  fund.  The 
Board  acted  immediately  upon  this  suggestion,  and  at  a  meeting  held 
in  June,  1868,  appointed  a  special  committee  to  inquire  into  the  expe- 
diency of  procuring  a  new  site  for  the  University  buildings. 

The  results  of  the  labors  of  this  special  committee  were  gratifying  to 
all  the  friends  of  the  University,  although  it  had  not  been  able  to  secure 
as  much  assistance  from  the  city  as  had  been  hoped  for.  One  immedi- 
ate result  was  the  passage  of  an  ordinance  by  the  city  councils  grant- 
ing t«n  acres  of  land  in  West  Philadelphia,  at  $8,000  per  acre.  Prepa- 
rations were  made  immediately  for  the  erection  of  the  University  build- 
ings. Plans  for  new  buildings  were  prepared  by  Professor  Richards  of 
the  University  and,  after  modification  to  suit  the  circumstances  and 
the  financial  condition  of  the  University,  were  put  into  execution,  and 
the  comer  stone  of  College  Hall  was  laid  in  June,  1871.  Following 
upon  this,  March  5, 1872,  was  the  adoption  by  the  Board  of  a  plan  to 
reorganize  the  Department  of  Arts  and  to  establish  a  Department  of 
Science  known  later  as  the  "Towne  Scientific  School"  in  recognition  of 
the  gift  from  the  estate  of  Mr.  John  H.  Towne.  In  July  of  the  same 
year,  the  property  at  Ninth  and  Chestnut  streets  was  sold  to  the  United 
States  Government,  and  additional  ftmds  were  thus  secured  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  College  building,  which  was  finished  and  dedicated  the  fol- 
lowing September. 

lu  1870  the  legislature  had  appropriated  $100,000  upon  the  condition 


A    HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY,  231 

that  $250,000  more  suould  be  raised  and  the  entire  sum  be  spent 
upon  a  general  hospital  whicU^  was  to  maintain  iit  least  two  hundred 
free  beds.  In  1873  an  additional  appropriation  of  $100,000  was  made 
for  the  same  purpose  ui)on  the  same  condition.  The  grant  of  land 
which  the  city  had  made  in  1870  was  increased  by  5^  acres  in  1872,  for 
the  erection  of  the  hospital.  Four  years  from  the  first  appropriation  by 
the  legislature  the  hospital  was  completed,  and  for  the  first  time  in  its 
history  the  Medical  Department  had  the  means  of  carrying  on  an  im- 
portant part  of  its  work  whicli  had  previously  suffered  from  lack  of 
I)roper  clinical  facilities. 

Another  addition  to  the  University  was  the  Department  of  Music, 
established  in  1877,  and  intended  as  a  school  for  advanced  students 
who  desired  to  add  to  the  mere  ability  to  read  and  perform  music  a 
scientific  acquaintance  with  harmony  and  counterpoint. 

As  a  necessary  outgrowth  of  the  scientific  work  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment came  the  organization,  in  1878,  of  the  Department  of  Den- 
tistry. This  department  is  one  which  commands  the  estimation  of  pro- 
fessional men,  and  during  the  twenty-four  years  of  its  existence  has 
succeeded  in  securing  a  reputation  which  is  second  to  none  in  America. 

One  other  important  change  during  the  administration  of  Dr.  Still6 
was  the  abolition  of  the  remaining  feature  of  the  old  corporation  ot 
1753 — the  Charitable  School.  All  that  remained  of  the  old  Academy 
had  been  abolished  many  years  before,  but  owing  to  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  Charitable  School  it  still  remained  in  existence,  not 
doing  by  any  means  the  work  intended  for  it  by  its  founders.  On 
May  1,  1877,  a  committee  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  made  a  report 
to  that  body  in  which  it  advised  that  the  school  be  discontinued  on 
July  1, 1877.  They  further  recommended  that  the  gratuitous  instruction 
to  be  provided  for  out  of  the  trust  funds  held  by  the  University  for  that 
purpose  should  hereafter  be  given  in  the  College  building  in  West 
Philadelphia;  that  until  otherwise  ordered  by  the  trustees,  male  indi- 
gent students  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  should  be  admitted  to  the 
Department  of  Arts  and  the  Towne  Scientific  School,  under  such  regula- 
tions as  might  be  framed  by  the  provost  for  such  admission,  with  the 
approval  of  the  Committees  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  on  the  Arts  Depart- 
ment and  the  Towne  Scientific  School,  as  admission  to  either  of  said 
departments  might  require;  that  the  Committee  on  Buildings,  Estates, 
and  Property  be  authorized  and  requested  to  rent  the  school  building 
on  the  lot  on  Fourth  street,  near  Arch  street,  for  such  use  as  they  may 
deem  proper,  the  rent  received  therefrom  to  be  appropriated  for  gratui- 
tous instruction.  This  report  was  adopted  and  the  Charitable  School 
ceased  to  exist. 

The  fourteen  years  during  which  Dr.  Still(?  wa's  provost  saw  many 
important  changes.  No  man  since  William  Smith  had  brought  into  the 
office  of  provost  such  energy,  such  zeal  for  the  promotion  of  the  inter- 
ests of  the  University  and  the  intellectual  life  of  the  community  in 


232  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

which  it  was  situated.  No  mau  had  a  clearer  idea  of  what  a  university 
should  be,  and  no  niaji  ever  hibored  more  faithfully  and  earnestly  to 
achieve  his  ideal.  When  he  resigned  in  January,  1880,  everyone  who 
realized  what  a  change  had  been  wrought  in  the  organization  of  the 
I'niversity  during  his  admimstratiou  deplored  the  loss  of  his  services 
to  education.' 

■In  tbe  preparatiofi  of  this  article  frerjuent  use  has  been  made  of  the  minutes  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  Wood's  "History  of  tbe  University,"  Wickersham's  "  History 
of  Education  in  Pennsylvania,"  Stille's  "Memoirs  of  Willtam  Smith,"  MacMaster's 
"Franklin  as  a  Man  of  Letters,"  Franklin's  Autobiography,  Stille's  "Reminiscences 
of  a  Provost,"  Jesse  Y.  Bnrk's  account  of  tbe  history  of  the  University  in  Scharf  & 
Wescott's  "History  of  Philadelphia,"  and  contemporary  newspapers.  Tbe  history 
of  the  University  from  1881  to  1892  is  continued  by  the  editor  in  Chapter  II.  See 
page  195. 

J.  L.  S. 


Chapter  V. 
THE  UNIVERSITY  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  settlement  of  Pennsylvania  being  due  to  the  unrest  of  the  mem- 
bers of  a  religious  sect  whose  advanced  thought  brought  them  into  con- 
flict with  existing  conditions  in  England,  and  the  moral  and  mental 
breadth  of  its  founder  having  led  him  to  offer  it  as  a  home,  not  only 
for  those  of  his  own  way  of  thinking,  but  for  all  in  that  island  and  upon 
the  continent  who  had  in  vain  wrestled  against  intolerance,  it  was  but 
natural  that  his  province  should  attract  more  men  of  learning  than 
other  colonies  whose  promoters  were  simply  seeking  for  profit  or  were 
bent  upon  the  enforcement  of  illiberal  policies.  Therefore  it  came  about 
that  among  the  early  colonists  of  Pennsylvania  there  were  an  unusual 
number  of  men  of  scholarly  attainments,  some  of  whom  had  been 
doughty  champions  upon  one  side  or  the  other  in  the  polemical  warfare 
then  being  everywhere  waged,  a  struggle  necessary  for  and  preparatory 
to  the  establishment  of  the  principle  that  humanity  is  capable  of  gov- 
erning itself.  Penn,  the  founder  of  a  successful  state  and  a  practical 
legislator  whose  work  has  stood  the  test  of  time,  as  well  as  the  most 
conspicuous  figure  among  the  colonizers  of  America,  was  a  student  of 
Oxford  University  and  a  profuse  writer  of  books  of  verse,  travel,  doc- 
trine, and  controversy  which  made  a  strong  impress  upon  the  thought 
of  his  time.  James  Logan  devoted  the  leisure  left  to  him  after  attend- 
ing to  the  interests  of  the  proprietor  to  the  translation  from  the  Latin 
of  the  Cato  Major  and  the  Moral  Distichs,  and  he  collected  a  library  of 
rare  books  which  was  then  unrivaled  upon  this  side  of  the  Atlantic 
and  even  now  would  be  considered  extraordinary.  David  Lloyd,  a 
lawyer  ready  and  pertinacious  in  the  discussion  of  all  questions  affect- 
ing the  polity  of  the  jirovince,  was  equally  skillful  in  the  drafting  of  acts 
of  assembly  and  the  compilation  of  the  laws.  George  Keith,  trained  in 
the  schools  of  Edinburgh,  was  the  author  of  numerous  treatises  upon 
theology  and,  together  with  Penn  and  Robert  Barclay  of  Ury,  defended 
the  Quaker  doctrines  against  the  assaults  of  the  learned  divines  of  the 
European  churches.  Francis  Daniel  Pastorius,  lawyer,  linguist,  and  phil- 
osopher, proud  of  his  pedigree  and  fresh  from  the  public  discussion  of  ab- 

'In  the  preparation  of  this  paper  I  have  used  freely  Dr.  Still^'s  memoir  of  Wm. 
Smith  and  Wickersham's  History  of  Education  in  Pennsylvania,  and  I  am  indebted 
to  Mr.  F.  D.  Stone  for  calling  my  attention  to  the  interesting  fact  that  the  Consti- 
tution of  1T76  provided  for  university  education. 


234  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA, 

struse  questions  of  ethics  and  government  upon  the  imiversi-ty  platforms 
of  tlie  continent,  signalized  his  arrival  at  Germantown  by  the  preparation 
and  publication  in  1690  of  his  Four  Treatises,  and  left  for  future  genera- 
tions a  bibliography  in  manuscript  of  the  volumes  in  his  library.  Lud- 
wig.  Count  Zinzendorff,  of  noble  lineage  and  influential  surroundings, 
came  with  the  Moravians,  whose  leader  he  was,  to  the  hills  of  the  Leliigh, 
but  was  not  prevented  by  the  practical  duties  of  looking  after  the  wel- 
fare of  his  flock  from  writing  numerous  collections  of  hymus,  sermons, 
and  addresses.  Christopher  Taylor,  familiar  with  the  Latin,  Greek,  and 
Hebrew  languages,  of  which  he  had  prepared  and  published  a  text-book, 
had  long  been  the  head  of  a  school  at  Edmonton  in  Essex.  IsTot  only 
were  there  many  such  individual  instances  of  more  than  ordinary  learn- 
ing, but  the  sects  from  which  the  early  population  of  Pennsylvania  was 
mainly  drawn,  though  they  regarded  the  amusements  and  adornments  of 
life  as  frivolities  by  means  of  which  Satan  was  enabled  to  lead  souls 
astray,  were  nevertheless  people  of  great  intellectual  activity,  finding 
proUfic  expression  abroad  in  a  flood  of  publications,  and  it  was  not  sur- 
prising that  soon  the  printing  houses  of  the  Bradfords,  Keimer,  Sower, 
Ephrata,  Franklin,  and  Bell,  the  most  productive  in  the  colonies,  sprang 
up  here  to  supply  their  mental  needs.  A  community  with  such  ex- 
amples before  them  and  permeated  with  such  influences  could  not  long 
remain  without  an  institution  giving  the  opportunities  for  the  higher 
education  of  youth.  The  frame  of  government  announced  by  Penn  as 
early  as  April  25,  1682,  provided  that  the  "  governor  and  provincial 
council  shall  erect  and  order  all  iwblick  schools  and  encourage  and 
reward  the  authors  of  useful  sciences  and  laudable  inventions,"  and 
directed  the  council  to  form  a  '''committee  of  manners,  education,  and 
arts,  that  all  wicked  and  scandalous'  living  may  be  prevented  and  that 
youth  may  be  successfully  trained  up  in  virtue  and  useful  knowledge 
and  arts."  At  the  meeting  of  the  council  on  the  17th  of  the  eleventh 
month,  168.3,  a  "school  of  arts  and  sciences"  was  proposed,  and  in  1689 
the  William  Penn  Charter  School,  still  in  existence  and  doing  most  valu- 
able work,  was  formally  opened.  Following  the  suggestion  of  the  peti- 
tion of  Anthony  Morris,  Samuel  Carpenter,  Edward  Shipi)en,  David 
Lloyd,  and  others,  the  assembly  in  its  charter  granted  in  1711  provided 
for  the  instruction  of  "  poor  children  "  in  "  reading,  work,  languages, 
arte,  and  sciences."  This  school  in  its  successful  operation  was  the  fore- 
runner of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  later  institution  had, 
like  its  predecessor,  its  origin  in  that  spirit  of  broad  philanthropy, 
regardful  of  the  welfare  of  the  lowly,  which  has  ever  been  character- 
istic of  Philadelphia  and  has  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  so  many 
of  her  public  institutions. 

In  1740  a  number  of  citizen^  of  different  religious  denominations 
united  in  raising  subscriptions  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  large 
building,  to  be  used  as  a  charity  school  for  the  instruction  of  poor  chil- 
dren gratis  in  useful  literature  and  the  Christian  religion,  and  also  as 


ITS    RELATIONS    TO    THE    STATE    OF    PENNSYLVANIA.         235 

a  place  of  publi(;  worsliii).  In  addition  to  the  establishment  of  the 
school,  they  had  in  view  the  special  object  of  providing  a  convenient 
house  in  which  George  Whitetield  could  preach  whenever  he  came  to 
Philadelphia.  The  lot  was  purchased  on  the  15th  of 'September  of  that 
year  and  the  building  was  erected.  Subsequently  the  design  was  en- 
larged to  include  the  idea  of  an  academy,  and  on  the  1st  of  February, 
174:9,  the  lot  and  buildings  were  conveyed  to  James  Logan  and  twenty- 
three  other  trustees,  upon  the  trust  that  they  should  keep  a  house  or 
place  of  worship  for  the  use  of  such  .preacher  as  they  should  judge 
qualified,  and  particularly  for  the  use  of  Whitefield,  and  a  free  school 
for  the  instructing,  teaching,  and  education  of  poor  children,  and  should 
have  power  to  found  an  "  academy,  college,  or  other  seminary  of  learn- 
ing for  instructing  youth  in  the  languages,  arts,  and  sciences."  The 
same  year  Benjamin  Franklin,  ever  quick  to  catch  inspiration  from  the 
events  occurring  around  him,  jjublished  his  "Proi)osals  Relating  to  the 
Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania."  He  alleges  in  his  autobiog- 
raphy that  the  foundation  of  the  Academy  was  due  to  the  publication 
of  this  paper  and  bis  own  subsequent  personal  efforts.    He  says : 

This  I  distributed  among  the  principal  inhabitants  gratis,  and  as  soon  as  I  could 
suppose  their  minds  prepared  by  the  perusal  of  it  I  set  on  foot  a  subscription  for 
opening  and  supporting  an  academy,  »  "  »  avoiding  as  much  as  I  could,  according 
to  my  usual  rule,  the  presenting  myself  to  the  publick  as  the  author  of  any  aclieme  for 
their  benefit. 

The  question  may  be  raised  whether  this  account  written  many  years 
later  is  quite  accurate.  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  a  contemporary  and  him- 
self long  identified  with  the  work  and  fame  of  the  University,  says  in 
his  eulogium  on  William  Shippen  (page  21)  while  speaking  of  the  serv- 
ices of  Phineas  Bond : 

In  conjunction  with  the  much  respected  Thomas  Hopkinsou  he  originated  the 
scheme  of  the  college  now  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  trustees,  among  whom  Thomas  Hopkinson,  Tench  Francis,  and 
Richard  Peters,  with  Franklin,  appear  to  have  been  particularly  active 
and  efficient,  secured  among  themselves  and  their  friends  an  endowment 
for  the  academy  amounting  to  £800  a  year  for  five  years,  and  the  city 
gave  an  additional  sum  of  £100  a  year  for  five  years  and  £200  in  cash. 

The  institution  thus  established  was  incorporated  by  Thomas  and 
Richard  Penn,  proprietors  and  governors  of  the  province,  on  the  13th  of 
July,  1753,  under  the  name  of  "The  Trustees  of  the  Acatlemy  and  Chari- 
table School  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania."  The  charter  sets  forth 
that  it  had  been  represented  by  the  trustees  named  that  for  estab- 
lishing an  academy  "as  well  to  instinct  youth  for  reward  as  poor  cliil- 
dren  whose  indigent  and  heli^less  circumstances  demand  the  charity  of 
the  opulent,"  several  benevolent  persons  had  i)aid  subscriptions  ex- 
pended in  the  purchase  of  lands  and  a  building  commodious  for  main- 
taining an  academy  "as  well  for  the  instruction  of  poor  children  as 
others  whose  circumstances  have  enabled  them  to  pay  for  their  learning," 
and  that  the  proprietors,  favoring  such  useful  and  charitable  designs, 


236  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

the  trustees  are  given  power  to  purchase  lands,  to  receive  any  sum  of 
money  or  goods,  "therewith  to  erect,  set  up,  maintain,  aud  support  an 
academy  or  any  other  kind  of  seminary  of  learning  in  any  place  within 
the  said  province  of  Peinisylvania  where  they  sliall  judge  the  same  to 
he  m«8t  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  instruction,  improvement,  and 
education  of  youtli  in  any  kind  of  literature,  erudition,  arts,  and  sciences 
which  they  shall  think  proper  to  be  taught,"  to  sue  and  be  sued,  and  to 
have  a  seal,  and  to  make  ordinances  and  statutes  for  their  government. 
A  confirmatory  charter  was  granted  by  the  same  proprietors,  dated 
June  10, 1755,  which  changed  the  name  to  that  of  "The  Trustees  of 
the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  in  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,"  and  limited  the  power  to  hold  lands  to  an 
amount  not  exceeding  £5,000  sterling  in  yearly  value,  and  gave  power  to 
confer  degrees  and  to  appoint  a  provost,  vice-provost,  and  professors.  It 
is  thus  seen  that  the  plan  of  the  charitable  school  which  originated  in 
1740  is  not  only  maintained  in  the  deed  of  1749  and  in  both  of  the  char- 
ters, but  is  made  an  essential  and  conspicuous  feature  of  the  design. 
It  is  of  importance  to  call  particular  attention  to  this  fact,  because  in 
all  printed  accounts  of  the  University  heretofore  its  origin  has  been 
assigned  to  the  efforts  of  1749,  though  the  movement  really  began  with 
the  subscription,  imrchase  of  land  and  erection  of  a  building  for  a 
charitable  school  nine  years  before,  and  the  institution  is  entitled  to 
claim  1740  as  the  date  of  its  birth  and  philanthropy  as  its  primary 
object.* 

By  the  confirmatory  charter  of  1755  the  Rev.  William  Smith,  M.  A., 
was  at  the  request  of  tlie  trustees  appointed  the  first  provost.  He  was 
a  native  of  Aberdeen,  in  Scotland,  and  was  graduated  from  the  Univer- 
sity tliere,  became  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  coming 
first  to  N^ew  York  and  subsequently  to  Philadelphia,  where  an  article 
written  by  him  upon  "The  College  of  Mirania,"  had  made  a  favorable 
impression,  he  was  selected  to  take  charge  of  the  college  and  academy 
in  1754.  To  his  intelligence,  energy,  and  activity  in  its  behalf,  its  im- 
mediate and  great  success  was  mainly  due.  He  submitted  a  plan  of 
education,  lulopted  and  carried  into  effect  in  1756,  more  comprehensive, 
a«  Dr.  Stillc'i  tells  us,  than  any  other  then  in  existence  in  the  American 
colonies.*  When  in  England  in  1759  he  secured  from  Thomas  Penn  a 
dee<l  conveying  for  the  benefit  of  the  college  one-fourth  of  the  manor 
of  Perkasit*,  in  Bucks  County,  consisting  of  about  2,500  acres  of  land, 
and  finding  it  in  debt  he  went  abroad  again  in  1762,  and  in  two  years 
by  indomitable  exertion  secured,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  Dr. 
Franklin,  who  "  took  uncommon  pains  to  misrepresent  our  academy,"  the 

'Rev.  Andrew  Bumaby,  D.  D,,  says  in  his  "Travels  Through  North  America  iu 
1760,"  third  edition,  p.  60,  "There  is  also  an  academy  or  college  originally  built  for 
a  tabernacle  for  Mr.  Whitefifld."     *     •     • 

•"This  last  institution  is  eriT-ted  upon  an  admirable  plan  and  is  by  far  the  best 
institution  of  learning  throughout  America." — Buruaby,  p.  66. 


ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA.    237 

very  large  sum  of  £6,921  Is.  Gd.  Of  this  amount  Thomas  Penii,  the 
chief  patron  of  the  college,  whose  gifts  for  the  ])urpose  during  his  life 
equaled  £4,500,  contributed  £500,  the  king  £200,  and  there  were 
over  11,000  other  contribvitors.  In  those  days  the  pursuits  of  men 
were  not  so  much  diflferentiated  as  they  have  since  become,  and,  as 
might  have  been  expected  from  one  with  the  acquirements  and  mental 
activities  of  Dr.  Smith,  his  voice  was  heard  and  his  hand  was  felt  in 
all  the  affairs  of  the  province.  As  a  clergyman,  he  preached  fast-day 
sermons;  as  an  orator,  he  delivered  addresses  upon  public  occasions; 
he  made  investigations  in  astronomy  and  other  sciences;  edited  a 
magazine,  and,  moreover,  he  was  a  speculator  in  lands  and  an  active 
politician.  He  was  regarded  as  the  exponent  of  the  views  of  the  col- 
lege and  the  custodian  of  its  interests,  and,  while  it  was  benefited  by 
his  exertions,  it  also  suffered  through  the  antagonisms  he  aroused.  A 
churchman  and  a  friend  of  the  proprietors,  he  cordially  disliked  and 
opposed  the  Quakers,  who  elected  the  assembly  and  controlled  public 
affairs,  and  the  German  Mennonites,  Bunkers,  and  Moravians,  through 
whose  support  they  were  able  to  do  it.  In  1755  he  published  a  political 
pamphlet  in  which  he  denounced  the  Quakers  for  being  influenced  by 
interest  rather  than  conscience  and  accused  the  Germans  of  sympa- 
thizing with  the  French  in  their  aggressions.  He  married  the  daughter 
of  William  Moore,  president  judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  of 
Chester  County,  an  aristocratic  and  influential  personage  living  on  his 
estate  at  Moore  Hall,  on  the  Pickering  Creek,  twenty-five  miles  from 
the  city. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1755,  Moore,  who,  besides  holding  his  peace- 
ful judicial  oiflce,  was  a  colonel  in  the  militia,  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Assembly  saying  that  he  was  coming  down  to  Philadelphia  with  2,000 
men  to  compel  them  to  pass  a  law  providing  means  for  military  pro- 
tection. His  letter  marked  the  beginning  of  a  struggle  that  shook  the 
whole  province,  and  was  fraught  with  baleful  consequences'to  both  Smith 
and  the  College.  During  the  succeeding. two  years  numerous  petitions 
were  presented  to  the  Assembly  charging  Moore  with  tyranny,  injustice, 
and  even  extortion,  in  the  conduct  of  his  office,  and  asking  that  he  might 
be  removed.  The  Assembly,  after  a  hearing  which  was  many  times 
adjourned  in  order  to  give  him  an  opportunity  to  be  heard,  but  which 
he  declined  to  attend,  upon  the  ground  that  they  had  no  authority  to 
make  the  investigation,  determined  that  he  was  guilty  of  the  wrongs 
charged.  Soon  afterwards,  October  19,  1757,  he  wrote  and  published  a 
paper  wTierein  he  fiercely  reviewed  their  action,  calling  it  "virulent  and 
scandalous"  and  a  "continued  string  of  the  severest  calumny  and  most 
venomous  epithets  conceived  in  all  the  terms  of  malice  and  party  rage." 
Inimediately  after  the  meeting  of  the  new  Assembly,  composed  for  the 
most  part  of  the  same  members  as  the  preceding,  they  sent  the  vser- 
geant-at-arms  with  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Moore,  and  of  Dr.  Smith 
yrho  was  supposed  to  Ji^ive  aided  in  tU^  preparation  of  the  paper.    Upoij 


238  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

being  ])rouglit  before  the  Assembly  they  refused  to  make  a  defense, 
tliougli  Moore  admitted  he  had  written  tlie  paper  and  declined  to  retract 
any  of  its  statements,  and  it  was  ordered  that  he  be  confined  until  he 
should  recant,  and  the  address  be  burned  by  the  hangman.  They  were 
given  into  the  custody  of  the  sheriff  and  were  kept  in  jail  in  Philadel- 
phia for  about  three  months,  "herding  with  common  thieves  and  felons," 
but  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Assembly  were  released  upon  a  writ 
of  habeas  corpus.  Smith  went  to  England  to  prosecute  an  appeal  to 
the  Crown,  and  on  February  13, 1700,  "  His  Majesty's  high  displeasure" 
was  announced  to  the  Assembly  at  their  unwarrantable  behavior  in 
assuming  power  that  did  not  belong  to  them,  and  invading  the  royal 
prerogative  and  the  liberties  of  the  people.  It  was  a  personal  triumph 
for  Dr.  Smith,  but  ere  long  came  the  Eevolutiouary  war,  when  his 
opponents  grasped  the  reins  of  power,  and  neither  the  royal  govern- 
ment nor  the  King  himself  could  render  Mm  any  aid. 

Early  in  1779  the  Assembly  appointed  a  committee,  "To  inquire  into 
the  i^resent  state  of  the  College  and  Academy,"  and  in  July,  Gen. 
Joseph  Reed,  President  of  the  State,  suggested  to  the  trustees  that 
since  some  of  them  were  under  legal  disqualifications  it  would  be  wise 
not  to  hold  a  public  commencement.  TVTien  the  new  Assembly  met,  in 
September,  the  President  in  his  message  said,  with  reference  to  the 
College,  that  it  "appears  by  its  charter  to  have  allied  itself  *  *  * 
closely  to  the  Government  of  Britain  by  making  the  allegiance  of  its 
governors  to  that  ^tate  a  prerequisite  to  any  official  act,"  and  that  he 
could  not  think  "  the  good  people  of  this  State  can  or  ought  to  rest 
satisfied  or  the  protection  of  the  Government  be  extended  to  an  institu- 
tion framed  with  such  attachments  to  the  liritish  Government  and  con- 
ducted with  a  general  inattenticm  to  the  authority  of  the  State."  A 
committee  appointed  tf)  consider  the  subject  reported,  recommending  a 
bill  which  should  "  secure  to  every  denomination  of  Christians  equal 
privileges,  and  establish  said  College  on  a  liberal  foundation  in  Avhich 
the  inten^sts  of  American  liberty  and  independence  will  be  advanced 
and  promoted,  and  obedience  and  respect  to  the  constitution  of  the 
State  preserved." 

An  act  of  Assembly  was  thereupon  passed  November  27,  1Z79. 
It  set  forth  that  the  trustees  haxl  narrowed  the  foundations  of  the  in- 
stitution and  it  declared  the  charters  of  1753  and  1755  void.  It  pro- 
videxl  that  the  estate,  real  and  personal,  should  be  vested  in  a  Board 
of  Trustees  ccmsistingof  the  president  and  vice-president  of  the  su- 
preme executive  council  of  the  Commonwealth,  the  speaker  of  the 
assembly,  the  (;hief-justice  of  the  supreme  court,  the  judge  of  ad- 
miralty, and  the  attorney-general,  the  senior  ministers  of  the  Epis- 
copal, Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Lutheran,  German-Calvinist,  and  Roman 
churches  in  the  city,  Benjamin  Franklin,  William  Shippen,  Frederick 
A.  Muldenberg,  James  Searle,  William  A.  Atlee,  John  Evans,  Timothy 
Matlack,  David  Rittenhouse,  Jonathan  Bayard  Smith,  Samuel  Morris, 


ITS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,    239 

George  Bryan,  Thoma.s  Bond,  and  James  Hutchinson,  by  the  name  of 
"The  Trustees  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,"  and 
directed  that  confiscated  estates  of  the  yearly  value  of  not  over  £1,500 
should  be  reserved  for  the  maintenance  of  the  provost  and  assistants 
and  to  uphold  "  the  charitable  school  of  the  said  University."  An 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Commonwealth  was  substituted  for  the  former 
one  to  the  Crown,  and  means  were  provided  to  compel  a  transfer  of  the 
property  by  the  trustees  of  the  College  to  the  trustees  appointed  by  the 
act.  This  action  of  the  Assembly  has  been  ^characterized  as  a  simple 
act  of  s])oliation,  and  so  much  of  it  as  took  away  the  estates  and  fran- 
chises of  the  College  was  repealed  in  1789,  upon  the  ground  that  it  was 
"repugnant  to  justice,  a  violation  of  the  constitution  of  the  Common- 
wealth, and  dangerous  in  its  precedent  to  all  incorporated  bodies."  Its 
supporters  had  succeeded  in  driving  Br.  Smith  away  from  the  city,  but 
they  had  not  been  able  to  infuse  life  into  the  new  University,  and  though 
aided  by  a  loan  from  the  State  of  £2,000  it  languished  in  debt.  The 
eflect  of  the  repeal  was  to  renew  the  College,  and  in  consequence  there 
were  two  institutions  having  in  view  substantially  the  same  objects  and 
seeking  the  same  support.  They  were  united  by  an  act  of  assembly  of 
September  30,  1791,  which  x)rovided  for  the  vesting  of  the  estates  of 
both  in  aboard  of  new  trustees,  consisting  of  twelve  elected  by  each 
and  the  governor  of  the  Commonwealth,  under  the  name  of  "The  Trus- 
tees of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,"  who  were  given  power  "to  do 
everything  needful  and  necessary  to  the  establishment  of  the  said  Uni- 
versity and  the  good  government  and  education  of  the  youth  belonging 
to  the  same,  and  to  constitute  a  fai^ulty  or  learned  body  to  consist  of 
such  liead  or  heads  and  such  a  number  of  i)rofessors  in  tfie  arts  and 
sciences  and  in  law,  medicine,  and  divinity  as  they  shall  judge  neces- 
sary and  proper."  The  connection  of  the  institution  with  the  State  was 
maintained  by  providing  that  the  governor  should  be  one  of  the  trus- 
tees and  that  an  annual  statement  of  the  funds  should  be  laid  before  the 
legislature.  This  final  act  of  fundamental  legislation  affecting  the 
grant  of  rights  to  the  University  declared  that  "  charity  schools  shall 
be  supported,  one  for  boys  and  the  other  for  girls,"  thus  preserv- 
ing the  chief  thought  which  was  in  the  minds  of  its  originators  in  1740. 
The  school,  intended  iji  its  beginning  to  be  a  charity,  had  been  enlarged 
into  a  college  and  academy  to  teach  the  arts  and  sciences  in  1753,  and 
had  now  grown  into  a  University,  including  in  its  course  instruction  in 
law,  medicine,  and  divinity. 

The  school  of  medicine  was  opened  in  1765  by  Dr.  John  Morgan,  that 
of  law  in  1791  by  Justice  James  Wilson,  and  each  was  the  first  upon 
that  special  subject  in  America. 

The  reservation  of  confiscated  estates  in  the  act  of  1779  was  the  first 
direct  contribution  made  by  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  to  the 
cause  of  higher  education.  The  lands  so  reserved  were  estimated  to  be 
worth  £35,000  and  iu  1785  their  annual  value  was  £1,381  5s.  l^d. 


240  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

By  the  act  of  March  19,  18(>7,  the  sum  of  $3,000  was  granted  "  out  of 
the  monies  they  owe  the  State  "  to  the  trustees  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
abling them  to  establish  a  garden  for  the  improvement  of  the  science 
of  botany  and  for  instituting  a  series  of  experiments  to  ascertain  the 
cheapest  and  best  food  for  plants  and  their  medicinal  properties  and 
virtues.'  "By  act  of  May  5,  1832,  their  real  estate  in  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia was  exempted  from  'county,  poor,  and  corporation  taxes '  for 
fifteen  years.  A  general  act  which  became  a  law  April- 10,  1838,  ex- 
empted '  all  universities,  colleges,  academies — incorporated,  erected, 
ordained,  orestablished  by  virtue  of  any  law  of  this  Commonwealth  with 
the  grounds  thereto  annexed — from  all  and  every  county,  road,  city, 
borough,  poor,  and  school  tax.'  This  act  received  judicial  construction 
in  the  case  of  City  of  Philadelphia  vs.  The  Trustees  (8  Wright,  300),  where 
it  was  held  that  the  Medical  Hall  of  the  University,  occupied  by  the 
faculty  whose  compensation  was  derived  from  the  j)roceeds  of  their  re- 
spective chairs,  was  under  it  exempt  from  taxation.  Section  1  of  Article 
IX  of  the  present  constitution  of  the  State  provides  that  the  assembly 
may  by  general  law  exempt  from  taxation  '  institutions  of  purely  i)ublic 
charity,'  and  the  act  of  May  14,  1874,  passed  in  pursuance  of  this  arti- 
cle of  the  constitution,  relieves  from  county,  city,  borough,  bounty,  road, 
school,  and  poor  tax  all '  universities,  colleges,  seminaries,  and  academies 
endowed  and  maintained  by  piiblic  or  private  charity.' " 

In  1838  the  legislature  made  provision  for  an  annual  appropriation  of 
$1,000  for  ten  years  to  each  university  maintaining  4  professors  and  in- 
structing 100  students.  The  University  of  Pennsylvania  received  the 
annual  sum  until  1843.  In  that  year  the  appropriation  was  reduced  one- 
half  and  tile  following  year  it  failed  utterly.  The  act  of  May  11,  1871, 
extended  the  power  of  the  trustees  to  acquire  real  and  personal  property 
and  enabled  them  to  hold  an  additional  amount  to  the  clear  annual  value 
of  $30,000.  In  1872  the  State  gave  to  the  University  the  sum  of 
$100,000  upon  (;ondition  that  it  should  raise  an  additional  sum  of 
$250,000, '.'  the  entire  ap^^ropriation  to  be  expended  in  the  erection  of 
a  general  hospital  in  connection  with  said  institution,  in  which  at  least 
200  beds  free  for  persons  injured  shall  be  forever  maintained,"  and  the 
following  year  a  further  sum  of  $100,000  for  the  same  purpose  upon 
the  condition  that  it  should  raise  a  like  amount.  By  the  act  of  May 
29, 1889,  the  State  made  an  appropriation  of  $12,500  to  be  paid  to  the 
trustees  for  the  erection  of  a  veterinary  hospital,  upon  the  condition 
that  they  should  furnish  free  of  cost  "  to  deserving  young  men  of  this 
State,  to  the  number  of  not  less  than  twelve  in  attendance  at  one  time, 
said  young  men  to  be  nominated  by  the  governor  of  the  Commonwealth, 
and  in  perpetuity  free  instruction  in  the  art  and  science  of  veterinary 
medicine  and  surgery."  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  last  act  of 
legislation  affecting  the  welfare  of  the  University  is  one  of  generosity 

'lu  Barton's  Compendium  Florie  Philadelphiaj  published  ju  1818  there  are  numerr 
0Q8  references  to  flaiiU  ijx  thi^  Ijptt^ftica,!  ^^irden, 

\ 


ITS   RELATIONS   TO   THE   STATE   OF   PENNSYLVANIA.         241 

upon  the  part  of  the  State,  lookiuj^  toward  enlarged  usefulness  in  the 
conduct  of  the  institution  and  the  farther  extension  of  its  benefits  among 
the  people  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that  the  broad-minded  and  liberal 
l)olicy  adopted  by  Thomas  Penn  one  hundred  and  forty  years  ago  has 
been  continued  down  to  the  iiresent  time.  In  the  language  of  Gen. 
Jolin  F.  Hartranft,  Iwmself  a  distinguished  soldier,  governor  of  the 
State,  and  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  in  an  address  at  the 
inauguration  of  the  hospital  thus  established,  this  policy  is  "  in  keep- 
ing with  the  generosity  of  the  great  State  which  gave  this  institution 
its'corporate  existence,  and  is  to-day,  and  it  is  hoped  always  will  be, 
proud  of  her  offspring,  the  University  of  Pennsylvania." 

When  the  impartial  historian  comes  to  record  the  many  events  in 
which  Pennsylvania  has  reason  to  take  great  pride,  not  the  least  of 
them  will  be  the  fact  that  in  her  first  constitution,  that  of  1776,  she 
made  it  a  part  of  the  fundamental  law  that  "  all  useful  learning  shall 
be  duly  encouraged  and  i)romoted  in  one  or  more  universities." 
1180 16 


Chapter  VI. 
THE  RELATIONS  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  THE  CITY. 


As  early  as  1743,  Franklin,  as  he  tells  us  in  his  Autobiography, 
sketched  a  plan  for  a  school  designed  by  him  to  complete  the  series  of 
those  public  institutions  which  he  thought  essential  for  promoting  the 
prosperity  of  the  Province.'  After  the  plan  Jiad  been  laid  aside  for  a 
few  years,  in  1749,  having  obtained  the  cooperation  of  several  of  his 
irieuds,  he  printed  a  pamphlet  entitled,  Proposals  Relative  to  the  Edu- 
cation of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania,  and  took  care  that  it  should  be  ex- 
tensively circulated.  A  meeting  of  the  most  influential  citizens  having 
been  called,  it  was  decided  to  organize  an  Academy,  and  24  persons, 
among  the  most  considerable  of  the  Province,  were  associated  together 
as  a  board  of  trustees  to  manage  its  concerns.  This  was  on  the  13th 
of  November,  1749.  These  gentlemen  raised  among  themselves  and 
their  friends  toward  the  endowment  of  the  Academy  a  subscription  of 
£800  a  year  for  five  years.  The  corporation  of  the  city,  taking  into 
consideration  the  numerous  advantages  the  city  would  reaj)  by  such  a 
seminary,  voted  £200  to  be  paid  at  once  to  the  trustees,  and  £100 
a  year  for  five  years.  Such  was  the  zeal  of  the  trustees  to  begin  their 
work,  that  they  anticipated  the  payment  of  these  subscrii)tions  by  bor- 
rowing for  the  use  of  the  Academy  on  their  joint  bond,  £800.  They 
were  fortunate  in  securing  for  the  Academy  the  building  which  had 
been  erected  a  few  years  before  by  the  admirers  of  the  Kiev.  George 
Whitefield.  This  building  was  erected  for  the  charity  school  which  was 
established  in  1740,  and  incidentally  to  serve  as  a  plaee  of  worship  when 
that  celebrated  man  should  hai^pen  to  be  in  Philadelphia,  and  need  for  his 
ministrations  that  convenient  accommodation  which  had  been  refused 
liim  in  the  churches  of  the  city.  The  enthusiasm  excited  by  Whitefield 
considerably  abated,  the  building  had  not  been  paid  for,  and  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  by  which  the  property  in  Fourth  street  below  Arch  street 
was'  conveyed  to  the  trustees  of  the  Academy  on  their  undertaking  to 
pay  the  debt  on  the  building,  and  agreeing  that  a  portion  of  it  should 
always  be  set  apart  for  the  occasional  use  of  itinerant  ministers.  The 
alterations  required  to  render  the  building  suitable  to  its  new  purpose 
Avere  so  expensive  that  it  was  not  until  the  beginning  of  the  year  1751 
that  it  was  occujjied  by  the  Academy.  Here  Latin  was  taught  by  Dr. 
Francis  Allison,  English  by  David  James  Dove,  and  mathematics  by 

>Seep.  215;  alsop.  234.  243 


244  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Theopbilus  Grew.  Among  the  ushers  or  tutors  was  Charles  Thomson, 
hiter  the  Secretary  to  the  Continental  Congress.  The  building  secured, 
in  December,  1749,  it  was  announced  that  it  would  be  opened  by  the 
trustees  as  "  an  Academy,  wherein  youth  will  be  taught  Latin,  Greek, 
English,  French,  and  German  languages,  together  with  history,  geog- 
raphy, logic  and  rhetoric ;  also  writing,  arithmetic,  merchants'  accounts, 
geometry,  algebra,  surveying,  gauging,  navigation,  astronomy,  drawing 
in  perspective,  and  other  mathematical  sciences,  with  natural  and  me- 
chanical philosophy,  etc.,  agreeable  to  the  constitution  heretofore  pub- 
lished, at  the  rate  of  £4  per  annum  and  20  shillings  entrance."  On  Jan- 
uary 8,  1750,  the  schools  were  opened  by  a  formal  visit  from  the  gov- 
ernor and  the  trustees  to  hear  a  sermon  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Peters. 
The  free  school  was  opened  in  September.  In  August,  Mr.  Dove, 
one  of  the  masters  of  the  Academy,  proposed  to  open  a  school  for 
young  ladies  at  5  o'clock  in  the  evening,  to  continue  three  hours, 
"  in  which,"  said  the  proposals,  "  will  be  carefully  taught  the  English 
grammar,  the  true  way  of  spelling  and  pronouncing  properly,  dis- 
tinctly, and  emphatically,*  together  with  fair  writing,  arithmetic  and 
accounts.    Price,  10  shillings  entrance  and  20  shillings  per  quarter." 

The  institution  thus  begun  continued  to  flourish,  and  July  13,  1753, 
the  proprietors  granted  it  a  charter,'  and  from  time  to  time  contributed 
£3^000  in  money  and  lands.  On  May  14,  1755,  an  additional  charter 
created  the  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia, 
with  a  faculty  of  the  provost,  vice-provost,  and  professors.  From  that 
time  the  College  had  to  deal  with  the  State  rather  than  with  the  city, 
but  at  that  time  State  and  city  had  a  much  closer  relation  than  at 
present.  As  it  was  not  until  1870  that  the  city  and  the.  Univer- 
sity were  again  brought  into  communication,  it  mjiy  be  of  interest 
to  refer  to  the  details  of  the  first  grant  made  by  the  city  for  the  benefit 
of  the  institution  which  was  later  on  to  become  a  College  and  finally 
the  Univerafty.  The  first  charter  was  granted  in  July,  1753,  and  in  May, 
1754,  Dr.  William  Smith  entereil  on  his  duties  as  teacher  of  logic,  rhetoric, 
and  natural  and  moral  philosophy.  Under  his  leadership  it  advanced 
so  rapidly  that  at  his  suggestion  the  Board  of  Trustees  in  December, 
1754,  applied  for  an  additional  charter,  and  in  May,  1755,  it  became 
The  College,  Academy,  and  Charitable  School  of  Philadelphia,  with 
the  i)rivilege  of  conferring  degrees.  The  services  of  Provost  Smith 
have  been  admirably  set  forth  in  an  exhaustive  address  by  one  of  his 
successors.  Provost  Still6,  whose  own  service  in  behalf  of  the  Uni- 
versity naturally  recalls  the  great  work  done  by  Dr.  Smith.  Philadel- 
phia may  well  i>oint  with  pride  to  the  succession  of  able  men  who  have 
followed  Provost  Smith  in  the  important  and  responsible  post  to  which 
its  first  occupant  gave  suc-h  dignity  by  his  position  among  his  fellow 
citizens.  In  the  "  Minutes  of  the  Common  Council  of  Philadelphia, 
1704-177(5,"  Philadeli)hia,  1847,  p.  524,  under  date  of  July  30, 1750,  is 
the  following  record : 


THE   RELATIONS   OF   THE   UNIVERSITY   AND   THE   CITY.      245 

At  a  Coiumou  Council  held  at  Philadelphia  for  the  City  of  Philadelphia  the  30th  day 
of  July,  1750.  Present :  Thomas  Lawrence,  Esqre.,  Mayor ;  William  Allen,  Esqre., 
Recorder;  SamuelHassell,  Edward  Shippen,  Benj'n  Shoemaker,  Joseph  Turner,  Rob- 
ert Strettal,  Esquires,  Aldermen. .  Septimus  Robeson,  John  Stamper,  Thos.  Hopkin- 
son.  Tench  Francis,  Samuel  Rhoads,  Wm.  Coleman,  John  Mifflin,  Benjamin  Franklin, 
Phineas  Bond,  Thos.  Lawrence,  Junr.,  Geoi:ge  Mifflin,  Common  Council  Men. 

The  Recorder  acquainted  the  Board  that  there  is  a  Design  on  Foot  for  the  Erecting 
a  Publick  Academy  and  Charity  School  in  this  City,  for  instructing  Youth  in  the 
several  Branches  of  useful  Learning,  and  that  divers  of  the  Inhabitants  have  sub- 
scribed liberally  towards  it ;  But  as  this  Undertaking  is  attended  with  a  great  Ex- 
pence  in  the  Beginning,  some  further  Assistauce  is  necessary  to  carry  it  into  Execution 
in  the  best  Manner.  And  as  this  Corporation  have  a  considerable  Sum  of  Money  in 
the  Hands  of  their  Treasurer,  and  have  likewise  an  Income  of  about  Three  Hundred 
pounds  p.  annum,  besides  Fines  and  Forfeitures,  the  Recorder  proposed  that  it  might 
be  considered,  whether  this  Design  for  the  Advancement  of  Learning  be  not  worthy 
of  some  Encouragement  from  this  Board,  as  their  Circumstances  may  very  well 
aflford  it.  The  Board  having  taken  this  Affair  into  Consideration,  and  it  appearing 
to  be  a  Matter  of  Consequence,  and  but  a  small  Number  of  the  Members  now  present, 
it  was  thought  proper  to  referr  the  further  Consideration  thereof  to  the  next  Com- 
mon Council :  It  is  therefore  Ordered,  that  the  Members  of  this  Board  have  notice  to 
meet  Tomorrow  at  four  a  Clock  in  the  Afternoon,  to  consider  of  a  Proi)osal  of  con- 
tributing a  Sum  of  Money  for  the  Encouragement  of  the  Academy  &  Charity  School 
now  erecting  in  this  City. 

At  a  Common  Council  held  at  Philadelphia  the  Slst  day  of  Jxily,  1750.  Present  [in 
addition  to  those  on  the  preceding  day]  Anthony  Morris,  William  Plumsted,  Esquires, 
Aldermen,  Samuel  McCall,  junr.,  John  Inglis,  William  Shippen,  Thomas  B<jnd, 
Nathl.  Allen,  Joseph  Sims,  John  Wilcocks,  Common  Council  Men. 

The  Board  resumed  the  Consideration  of  the  Profuisal  made  at  the  last  Common 
Council,  of  contributing  a  Sxim  of  Money  for  the  Encouragement  of  the  Academy  & 
Charity  School  now  erecting  in  this  city,  and  a  Paper  containing  an  Account  of  what 
is  already  done  by  the  Trvistees  of  the  Academy,  and  what  Advantages  are  expected 
from  that  Undertaking  being  laid  before  the  Board,  was  read,  and  follows  in  these 
Words : 

The  Trustees  of  the  Academy  have  already  laid  out  near  £800,  in  the  Purchase  of 
the  Building,  and  will  probably  expend  nearly  as  much  more  in  fitting  up  Rooms 
for  the  Schools,  &  furnishing  them  with  proper  Books  &  Instruments  for  the  In- 
struction of  Youth.  The  greatest  part  of  the  Money  paid  &  to  be  paid  is  subscribed 
by  the  Trustees  themselves,  and  advanced  by  them;  Many  of  whom  have  no  children 
of  their  own  to  educate,  but  act  from  a  View  to  the  Publick  Good,  without  Regard 
to  sect  or  party.  And  they  have  engaged  to  open  a  Charity  School  within  Two  Years 
for  the  Instruction  of  Poor  Children  gratis,  in  Reading,  writing  and  arithmetick, 
and  the  first  Principles  of  Virtue  and  Piety.  The  Benefits  expected  from  this  Insti- 
tution are : 

1.  That  the  Youth  of  Pensilvania  may  have  an  opportunity  of  receiving  a  good  Edu- 
cation at  home,  and  be  under  no  necessity  of  going  abroad  for  it;  Whereby  not  only 
considerable  Expense  may  be  saved  to  the  Country,  but  a  stricter  Eye  may  be  had 
over  their  morals  by  their  Friends  and  Relations. 

2.  That  a  number  of  our  Natives  will  be  hereby  qualified  to  bear  Magistracies,  and 
execute  other  public  oftioes  of  Trust,  Avith  Reputation  to  themselves  &  Country ; 
There  being  at  i>resent  great  Want  of  Persons  so  qualified  in  the  several  Counties 
of  this  Province.  And  this  is  the  more  necessary  now  to  be  provided  for  by  the 
English  here,  as  vast  Numbers  of  Foreigners  are  yearly  imported  among  us,  totally 
ignorant  of  our  Laws,  Customs  and  Language. 

3.  That  a  number  of  the  poorer  Sort  will  be  hereby  qualified  to  act  as  Schoolmas- 
ters in  the  Country,  to  teach  Children  Reading,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  and  the  Gram- 


246  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

mar  of  their  Mother  Tongue,  and  being  of  good  morals  and  known  character,  may  be 
recommended  from  the  Academy  to  Country  Schools  for  that  purjjose ;  The  Country 
HUtfering  at  present  very  much  for  want  of  good  Schoolmasters,  and  obliged  fre- 
quently to  employ  in  their  Schools,  vicious  imported  Servants,  or  concealed  Papists, 
who  by  their  bad  Examples  and  Instructions  often  deprave  the  Morals  or  corrupt 
the  Principles  of  the  Children  under  their  Care. 

4.  It  is  thought  that  a  good  Academy  erected  in  Philadelphia,  a  healthy  place 
where  Provisions  are  plenty,  situated  in  the  Center  of  the  Colonies,  may  draw  a  num- 
ber of  Students  from  the  neighboring  Provinces,  who  must  spend  Considerable  Sums 
yearly  among  us,  in  Payment  for  their  Lodging,  Diet,  Apparel,  &c.,  which  will  be  an 
Advantage  to  our  Traders,  Ai'tisans,  and  Owners  of  Houses  and  Lands.  This  Advantage 
is  so  considerable,  that  it  has  been  frequently  ~  observed  in  Europe,  that  the  fixing 
a  good  School  or  College  in  a  little  inland  Village,  has  been  the  means  of  makiug  it 
a  great  Town  in  a  few  Years;*  and  therefore  the  Magistrates  of  many  Places  have 
oflfer'd  and  given  great  yearly  salaries  to  draw  learned  Instructors  from  other  Coun- 
tries to  their  respective  Towns,  meerly  with  a  View  to  the  Interests  of  the  In- 
habitants. Numbers  of  people  have  already  generously  contributed  sums  to  carry 
on  this  Undertaking ;  but  ethers,  well  disposed  are  somewhat  discouraged  from  con- 
tributing, by  an  Apprehension,  lest  when  the  first  Subscriptions  are  expended,  the 
Design  should  drop.  The  great  Expence  of  such  a  Work  is  in  the  Beginning.  If 
the  Academy  be  once  well-ojienM,  good  Masters  provided,  and  good  orders  estab- 
lished, there  is  Reason  to  believe  (from  many  former  Examples  in  other  Countries) 
that  it  will  be  able  after  a  few  years  to  support  itself. 

Some  Assistance  from  the  Corporation  is  immediately  wanted  and  hoped  for ;  and  it 
is  thought  that  if  this  Board,  which  is  a  perpetual  Body,  take  the  Academy  under  their 
Patronage,  and  afford  it  some  Encouragement,  it  will  greatly  strengthen  the  hands 
of  all  concerned,  and  be  a  means  of  Establishing  this  good  Work  &  continuing  the  good 
Effects  of  it  down  to  our  late  Posterity.  ITie  Board  having  weigh'd  the  great  Useful- 
ness of  this  Design,  after  several  Propositions  heard  &  debated,  agreed  that  a  Sum  of 
Money  be  given  by  this  Board  &  paid  down,  towards  compleating  the  Building  which 
the  Trustees  have  purchased,  and  are  now  fitting  up  for  the  Puri)ose,  and  likewise 
that  a  Sum  or  Sums  1)0  given  yearly  by  this  Board,  for  five  years  to  come,  towards  the 
support  &  Maintenance  of  the  Schools  under  the  Direction  of  the  said  Trustees. 
Whereupon  the  following  Questions  were  put  and  carried  in  the  Affirmative. 

1.  Whether  this  Board  will  give  the  Sum  of  Two  Hundred  Pounds,  to  be  paid  im- 
mediately to  the  Trustees  of  the  Academy,  towards  comi)loatiug  the  Building  pur- 
chased ])y  the  said  Trustees  for  an  Academy  &  Charity  School  in  this  City  ?  Which 
was  carried  in  the  Affirmative  by  a  great  Majority. 

2.  Whether  this  Board  will  give  Fiftj^  pounds  p.  annum  for  five  years  next  ensuing, 
to  The  Tru8t«e8  of  the  Academy,  towards  supporting  a  Charity  School  for  the  Teach- 
ing of  poor  Children  Reading,  Writing  and  Arithmetic?  Which  was  unanimously 
agreed  to.  * 

3.  Whether  this  Board  will  give  Fifty  Pounds  p.  annum  for  the  five  years  next 
ensuing,  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Academy,  for  the  Benefit  thereof,  with  Condition  that 
this  Board  shall  have  a  Right  of  nominating  and  sending  one  Scholar  Yearly  from  the 
Charity  School,  to  be  instructed  gratis  in  the  Academy,  in  any  or  all  of  the  Branches 
of  Learning  there  taught f  Whicli  was  carried  in  the  Affirmative  by  a  gieat 
Majority. 

Tlius  deliberately  the  city  of  Philadelphia  set  its  seal  of  commenda 
tion  on  the  work  of  the  Academy.  Long  years  elapsed  before  the  Uni 
versity  again  applied  to  the  city  for  a  further  grant,  and  it  is  gratifying 
to  find  that  that  api>eal  also  was  answered  in  a  way  that  has  enabled  the 
Univer.sity  to  take  a  fresli  lea.se  of  life,  while  it  has  secured  to  the  city 
a  noble  group  of  l)uildings  where  higher  education  is  pursued  for  the 


THE   RELATIONS   OF   THE    UNIVERSITY   AND   THE   CITY.      247 

students  of  all  arts.  Among  the  Penn  Papers  at  tbe  Historical  Society 
are  preserved  the  essay  by  Francis  Hopkinson  written  for  the  exercises 
at  the  Academy  in  1753,  and  the  verses  written  by  Jacob  Duch6  and 
recited  by  him  before  the  lieutenant-governor,  the  governor,  and  the 
late  governor,  and  sent  to  Thomas  Penn  as  a  proof  of  the  progress  of 
the  Academy.  As  the  Penns  gave  nearly  £3,000  to  it  and  to  the  Col' 
lege,  they  were  naturally  interested  in  its  growth.  In  its  Board  were 
the  governor,  the -.chief  justice,  members  of  the  council,  the  attorney- 
general,  judges  of  the  supreme  court  and  of  the  common  pleas  and  the 
admiralty,  members  of  the  assembly,  the  mayor  and  several  aldermen 
of  the  city,  and  representative  clergymen,  physicians,  and  merchants, 
thus  showing  that  every  local  interest  was  concerned  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  College.  ; 

In  May,  1756,  Dr.  Smith  prepared  a  plan  of  education  which  in- 
cluded, in  Latin,  Juvenal,  Livy,  Cicero,  Horace,  and  in  Greek,  the  Iliad, 
Pindar,  Thucydides,  Epictetus,  and  Plato,  while  mathematics,  natural 
philosophy,  chemistry,  hydrostatics,  pneumatics,  optics,  and  astronomy, 
ethics,  and  natural  and  civil  law  and  history  were  made  part  of  the 
course.  Within  two  years  the  college  had  300  pupils,  drawn  from 
Maryland,  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and  the  West  Indies,  as  well  as 
from  the  city  and  the  neighborhood.  Its  commencements  and  other 
public  exercises  were  events  of  local  and  general  importance  and  were 
attended  by  officials  of  city  and  province.  To  eke  out  its  uncertain 
income  recourse  was  had,  in  the  fashion  of  the  day,  to  lotteries,  which 
were  set  on  foot  for  the  benefit  of  the  College,  but  in  November,  1761, 
the  trustees  reported  that  for  several  years  it  had  cost  about  £700 
above  its  income.  Finally  Dr.  Smith  was  sent  abroad  to  solicit  help, 
and  with  the  powerful  support  of  the  Penns,  among  the  largest  con* 
tributors,  he  secured  over  £6,000  from  a  long  and  varied  list,  including 
the  king  and  other  members  of  the  royal  family,  the  archbishops  and 
bishops,  many  of  the  clergy,  a  long  array  of  noblemen  and  statesmen 
(among  them  Pitt  himself),  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  the  leading 
towns.  A  subsequent  visit  to  Charleston  produced  nearly  a  thousand 
guineas,  and  a  subscription  in  Philadelphia  produced  £1,200  and  a 
much  larger  amount  payable  at  a  future  time.  Jamaica  gave  about 
£3,000  in  answer  to  an  appeal  from  Dr.  Morgan  of  the  medical  faculty. 
In  1774  the  College  was  very  successfully  at  work,  and  tlie  commence- 
ment in  May,  1775,  was  attended  by  the  Continental  Congress  in  a 
body  and  by  Washington,  who  had  just  been  appointed  Commander- 
in  Chief.  The  printed  proceedings  show  that  professors  and  students 
were  in  full  sympathy  witli  the  American  cause  and  Congress. 

In  June,  1777,  the  College  was  closed,  and  so  remained  until  Septem- 
ber, 1778.  In  the  beginning  of  1779  it  reopened  with  more  than  200 
pupils,  but  on  February  23  the  assembly  appointed  a  committee  to  in- 
vestigate the  present  state  of  the  College  and  Academy  of  Philadel- 
phia.   No  report  was  made,  although  Provost  Smith  on  March  16  made 


248  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

a  full  and  elaborate  statement  and  vindication.  Owing  to  an  intima- 
tion from  the  President  of  the  State  no  commencement  was  held  in 
1779,  and  in  July,  at  bis  request,  auotber  committee  was  appointed. 

In  Sei)teniber,  bowever,  President  Eeed  called  attention  of  tbe  new 
assembly  to  the  manifest  attacbment  to  tbe  British  Government  of  tbe 
officers  of  tbe  College.  A  committee  again  took  tbe  matter  in  band  and 
before  tbe  montb  was  out  reported  tbat  a  bill  should  be  brought  in  to 
provide  funds  for  the  College  and  to  remodel  it.  Such  a  bill  was  passed 
November  27,  1770,  declaring  the  charter  of  1755  void,  dissolving  tbe 
trustees  and  faculty,  and  vesting  the  College  estates  in  a  new  board, 
and  reserving  £1,500  a  year  from  the  proceeds  of  the  confiscated  estates 
for  the  use  of  tbe  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  as  the  new 
institution  was  called. 

Tbe  act  of  1785  is  a  curious  relic  of  the  old  method  of  dealing  in  land 
a  hundred  years  ago.  It  gave  tbe  University,  "  to  effectuate  the  pious 
and  praiseworthy  designs  of  the  founders,  benefactors,  and  contribu- 
tors," and  to  "  create  a  certain  fund  for  tbe  maintenance  of  tbe  provost, 
vice-provost,  masters,  and  assistants  of  the  University,  and  to  uphold 
and  preserve  the  charitable  school  thereof,"  so  many  of  the  confiscated 
estates  then  unsold  and  unappropriated  as  would  provide  an  income 
not  to  exceed  £1,500,  computing  wheat  at  tbe  rate  of  10  shillings  per 
bushel.  The  long  list  includes  a  rent  charge  of  30  bushels  of  wheat  out 
of  a  tract  of  58  acres  on  German  town  road  and  Turner's  lane  in  the 
Northern  Liberties;  a  rent  charge  of  12^^  bushels  (the  same  to  be  di- 
vided into  twenty  parts)  out  of  a  tract  of  land  in  the  manor  of  Moreland, 
in  the  county  of  Philadelphia;  a  rent  charge  of  20  bushels  of  wheat  to 
be  paid  annually  oiit  of  a  lot  of  ground  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Second 
street  and  Sassafras  street;  a  rent  charge  of  22  bushels  of  Avheat,  pay- 
able out  of  a  lot  on  Front  street,  between  Sassafras  and  Mulberry  streets ; 
a  rent  charge  of  135|  bushels  (the  same  to  be  divided  into  five  parts)  out 
of  two  tracts,  one  of  300  acres,  the  other  of  78  acres,  in  Lower  Merion 
township;  a  rent  charge  o1^2^^  bushels  out  of  a  lot  of  4  acres  at  Poplar 
lane  and  Third  street  in  the  Northern  Liberties;  and  a  rent  charge  of 
7^  bushels  of  wheat  out  of  a  lot  in  Blockley  township ;  a  rent  charge  of 
24  J  bushels  of  wheat  out  of  a  bouse  and  lot  on  Second  street,  between 
Walnut  and  Spruce;  in  all,  over  sixty  such  ground  rents  were  given, 
covering  lands  in  Philadelphia,  and  among  tbe  former  owners  were  the 
familiar  names  of  Christopher  Sower,  whose  ground  rent  in  Roxborough 
thus  came  to  the  University,  and  Andrew  Allen,  and  Joseph  Galloway, 
and  Ja(;ob  Duche,  tbe  younger,  who  were  pupils  and  graduates  and 
trustees,  and  in  other  ways  connected  with  the  old  College,  the  prede- 
cessor of  the  University.  Besides  these  ground  rents,  the  State  gave 
the  University  a  lot  of  ground  and  ferry  wharf  at  the  east  end  of  Mul- 
berry street;  a  lot  and  house  on  Sassafras  street,  between  Third  and 
Fourth;  and  a  lot  and  wharf  on  the  east  side  of  Water  street,  between 
High  street  and  Mulberry  street,  late  the  estate  of  Matthias  Aspden, 


THE    RELATIONS    OF   THE    UNIVERSII^Y    AND    THE    CITY.      249 

whose  estate  was  a  fruitful  source  of  litigation  later  on  in  the  nineteenth 
century.  The  act  also  recites  that  the  trustees  at  the  sales  of  confis- 
cated estates  had  bought  fifteen  houses  or  lots  of  land,  and  a  number 
of  rent  charges  on  land  in  Philadelphia  city  or  county,  then  further 
states  that  all  this  formidable  list,  at  the  prices  at  which  they  were  sev- 
erally sold,  do  not,  when  considered  and  taken  together,  amount  to 
more  than  the  yearly  value  of  £1,381  5s.  7^<7.,  computing  wheat  at  the 
rate  of  10s.  jjer  bushel ;  and  then  goes  on  to  confirm  these  properties  to 
the  University  and  to  make  other  provisions  for  its  government. 

A  footnote  to  the  law  itself  records  that  the  Supreme  Court  in  1795 
held  that  the  trustees  of  the  University  were  entitled  to  compensation 
for  lands  and  ground  rents  reserved  to  them  or  bought  by  their  agents, 
in  case  of  eviction  under  the  act  of  29th  of  March,  1779. 

It  is  a  matter  of  local  history  that  during  the  period  of  the  worst 
depression  of  the  currency  many  of  the  debtors  of  the  University  paid 
their  importunate  creditors  in  paper,  so  that  the  worthless  notes  had  to 
be  taken  as  legal  tenders,  and  thus  the  provision  intended  for  the 
University  at  the  exxjense  of  the  unfortunate  loyalists,  whose  confis- 
cated lands  were  to  endow  it,  amounted  to  little  or  nothing,  and  for 
long  years  the  University  had  almost  no  income  with  which  to  carry 
on  its  work  of  education. 

In  March,  1789,  the  assembly  repealed  the  act  of  1779,  which  had 
taken  away  the  charter  of  the  college,  thus  restoring  it  once  more,  but 
in  1791  the  college  and  the  University  were  by  law  consolidated  and 
created  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  Although  the  union  was  the 
work  of  the  State,  with  which  the  city,  of  course,  had  nothing  to  do 
officially,  yet  in  the  first  board  of  trustees  elected  by  the  two  institu- 
tions, then  united,  were  represented  the  names  familiar  and  prominent 
in  the  history  of  Philadelphia — Mifflin,  McKean,  Sergeant,  Carson, 
Rittenhouse,  Jackson,  lugersoll.  White,  Shippen,  Lewis,  Hare,  Powel, 
Conyngham,  Bingham,  Clynier,  Bard,  and  they  and  their  associates 
and  their  successors  from '  that  day  to  this  have  continued  to  be  men 
honored  4n  every  ijrofession  and  finding  time  from  other  and  engross- 
ing duties  to  serve  the  University  and  forward  its  work.  Philadelphia 
has,  indeed,  reason  to  be  grateful  to  those  who  have  enabled  the  Uni- 
versity to  celebrate  the  centennial  of  its  life  of  usefulness  with  due 
pride. 

Under  the  act  uniting  the  college  and  the  University  one  division  of 
the  trustees  was  composed  of  the  senior  ministers  of  the  six  Christian 
denominations.  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Lutheran,  German  Reformed, 
Roman  Catholic,  and  Baptist,  thus  enlisting  the  interest  of  their  con- 
gregations. From  1791  until  1800  the  University  remained  at  the  col- 
lege buildings  on  Fourth  street  below  Arch,  when  the  University 
bought  for  $41,650  the  h)t  of  ground  on  Ninth  street  between  Market 
and  Chestnut  streets,  and  the  building  erected  on  it  by  the  State  at  a 
cost  of  $100,000,  as  a  residence  for  the  President  of  the  United  States. 


250  THE    UNlVKRSITy    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Thus  tliat  site  marked  tbe  local  respect  for  that  great  oftice  borue  by 
Washington  and  Adams.  Now,  in  our  day,  the  Federal  Government 
has  made  it  the  site  for  the  great  building  in  which  much  of  its  business 
in  and  for  the  City  of  Philadelphia  is  fitly  housed. 

In  1816  the  trustees  of  the  University  'sent  to  the  Peuns  a  resolution 
under  seal  pledging  the  Uuiversity  at  all  times  to  re<;eive  two  i)ersons, 
of  the  nominatiun  and  api)oiutment  of  the  heirs  and  assigns  of  the 
Honorable  Thomas  Penii,  deceased,  late  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,  to  be  educated  free  of  all  costs  or  pajTiients 
whatever,  to  be  clothed  and  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  Univer- 
sity, and  creating  a  Penn  foundation  for  the  purpose.  This  was  the 
final  conclusion  of  a  long  discussion  over  the  Perkasie  lands,  of  which 
the  Penns  in  llod  had  made  a  grant,  and  with  it  was  connected  later  on  a 
transfer  to  ihe  governor  of  the  commonwealth  of  the  power  of  nomination 
to  these  scholarships.  It  was  one  of  the  last  evidences  of  the  interest  of 
the  Penns  in  the  University  to  which  they  had  been  so  liberal.  For  a  long 
period  the  University  received  little  aid  either  from  the  city  or  citizens. 
A  legacy  of  $5,000  from  Mr.  Elliott  Cresson  in  1855  was  for  eighty  years 
the  only  contribution  of  the  kind,  and  the  income  of  that  sum  was  to 
be  devoted  to  aid  in  the  instruction  of  drawing,  not  then  taught  in  the 
University.  The  first  sign  of  a  revived  public  interest  in  its  work  was 
shown  in  the  spring  of  1868,  when  Mr.  N.  B.  Browne,  one  of  the  trustees, 
suggested  that  the  city  should  be  asked  to  give  to  the  University  25  or  30 
acres  of  the  almshouse  farm  in  West  Philadelphia,  a  portion  of  which 
might  be  used  as  a  site  for  the  erection  of  buildings  suitable  for  a  pro- 
posed enlarged  system  of  instruction,  including  a  scientific  school,  and 
that  the  rest  might  be  sold,  as  occasion  should  present,  at  the  value 
increased  by  the  erection  of  handsome  college  buildings  in  the  neigh. 
borhoml,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  to  be  paid  into  the  endowment  fund. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  held  in  June,  18G8,  it  was 
resolved  to  appoint  a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  pro- 
curing a  new  site  for  the  University.  In  July,  1868,  Cluirles  J.  Stille, 
LL.  D.,  was  elected  provost,  and  his  election  was  a  pledge  that  ttie  move- 
ment thus  inaugurated  would  be  carried  forward  vigorously.  At  his 
inauguration  as  provost  in  September,  his  address  was  an  earnest  plea 
for  a  scientific  school  with  a  liberal  endowment.  In  October  the  com- 
mittee on  a  new  site  reporte<l  in  favor  of  applying  to  the  city  for  the 
purcliase  at  a  nominal  rate  of  a  portion  of  the  almshouse  farm  from  20 
to  25  acres  in  extent.  The  board  ailopted  the  conclusions.of  the  com- 
mittee, and  a  petition  was  accordingly  presented  in  Select  Council  in 
December,  1868,  and  by  that  body  referred  to  the  joint  committee  of 
city  c(mncil8  on  finance.  The  provost  and  some  of  the  trustees  advo- 
cated it,  and,  alter  many  months'  delay,  the  committee  agreed  to  report 
an  ordinance  agreeing  to  sell  to  the  University  a  tract  of  land,  portion 
of  the  almshouse  farm,  «-ontaining  rather  more  than  19  acres,  for  $8,000 
per  acre,  and  tlie  ordinance  was  repoi  t«'d  to  the  Common  Council  on 


THE    RELATIONS   OF   THE    UNIVERSITY   AND    THE    CITY.      251 

May  13, 1809,  and  passed.  lu  Select  Council  it  was  passed  finally  only 
on  November  25, 1869,  with  an  amendmenttliattlie  price  should  be  $15,000 
instead  of  $8,000  per  acre  and  that  the  area  should  be  10  acres  instead  of 
19.  Common  Council  amended  in  turn  by  fixing  the  price  at  $8,000,  and 
in  this  shape  it  finally  passed  councils  on  December  9,  and  was  signed  a 
few  days  after'by  the  mayer.  In  May,  1870,  the  deed  was  finally  exe- 
cuted, and  in  June,  1871,  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  building  was  laid. 
In  July,  1872,  the  property  at  Mnth  and  Chestnut  streets,  occupied  by 
the  University  since  1800,  was  sold  to  the  United  States  and  the  money 
was  used  to  pay  for  the  new  building.  In  September,  1872,  work  was 
begun  there.  The  number  of  students  in  the  Undergraduate  Depart- 
ment was  nearly  doubled,  and  money  gifts  amounting  to  $580,500  made 
to  the  Collegiate  Department  between  1868  and  1880  have  shown  the 
new  spirit  with  which  the  city  and  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  were 
helping  to  strengthen  the  University. 

More  than  fifty  years  ago,  and  before  the  establishment  of  the  Phila- 
delphia High  School,  it  had  been  proposed  to  establish  a  large  number 
of  scholarships  in  the  Collegiate  Department  of  the  University  for  boys 
of  the  grammar  schools,  and  negotiations  were  carried  on  between  the 
Board  of  Education  and  the  Trustees  of  the  University,  but  nothing- 
came  of  the  proposal  at  that  time.  In  1874  forty  free  scholarships  were 
by  resolution  of  the  trustees  established  in  the  Towne  Scientific  School, 
of  which  ten  should  be  filled  each  year  by  pupils  from  the  public  schools, 
who  should  be  able  to  pass  a  satisfactory  examination.  This  action 
was  subject  to  revocation,  and  was  not  based  upon  any  consideration 
given  to  the  University  by  the  city  in  return.  In  June,  1877,  the 
Charity  Schools,  dating  from  1749,  were  abolished,  and  the  income  of 
the  fund  hitherto  devoted  to  their  use  was  appropriated  to  provide  in 
the  Towne  School  instruction  for  children  in  indigent  circumstances. 
The  proposal  to  open  the  University  to  pupils  who  had  been  trained  at 
the  public  schools,  mooted  long  before,  was  thus  made  one  of  the  con- 
ditions of  a  reunion  between  the  city  and  the  University,  and  it  marks 
the  effort  of  the  University  under  the  management  of  the  late  John 
Welsh  and  of  Frederick  Fraley  and  their  associates  in  the  board  of 
trustees,  and  especially  of  the  provost.  Dr.  William  Pepper,  to  keep 
touch  with  the  great  scholastic  population  of  the  city.  By  ordinance 
of  January  24,  1883,  the  city  conveyed  to  the  University  a  large  addi- 
tional tract  of  land,  embracing  almost  14  acres.  Thi^  acquisition  was 
effected  by  the  strenuous  efforts  of  Provost  Pepper,  who  succeeded  in  im- 
pressing the  City  Council  so  deeply  with  the  necessity  of  ample  space 
for  the  development  of  a  great  University  and  with  the  importance  of 
the  University  to  the  city  that  not  a  single  vote  was  cast  in  either 
branch  against  the  ordinance  which  conveyed  the  fine  territory  for  the 
valuable  consideration  of  $10,000  and  the  establishment  in  perpetuity 
of  fifty  prize  scholarships,. in  lieu  of  the  forty  free  scholarships  which  had 
previously  existed  solely  by  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.    The 


252  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

organic  connection  thus  created  between  the  University  and  the  public 
school  system  of  the  city,  realizes  the  ideal  so  long  cherished  of  having  a 
continuous  course  of  education  open  freely  to  ambitious  students  from  the 
lowest  class  in  the  grammar  school  through  the  high  school  and  the 
manual  training  school,  to  the  highest  honors  of  the  University.  These 
city  prize  scholarships  are  regarded  as  great  re  wards' for  years  of  faithful 
effort,  and  the  establishment  has  served  as  a  powerful  incentive  to  the 
entire  public  school  system  of  Philadelphia. 

Penns'  original  -Frame  of  Government  promised  public  schools,  and 
as  early  as  1683  a  school  was  planned,  and  in  1G89  the  William  Penn 
('barter  School  was  organized.  It  is  in  active  and  successful  operation 
to-day,  and  is  one  of  the  preparatory  schools  for  the  University.  The 
proposal  made  in  1740  to  establish  a  charity  school  was  realized  in  1749. 
The  city,  by  its  grant  in  1750,  gave  its  first  official  recognition  of  the 
University,  and,  after  a  long  lapse  of  years,  the  city  and  the  Univer- 
sity have  finally  been  brought  into  close  and  indissoluble  relations. 

In  1888  the  city  made  a  further  conveyance  of  more  laud  to  the  Uni- 
versity, on  the-  condition  that  a  free  public  library  should  be  erected 
and  maintained  by  the  University  as  a  free  library  of  reference,  open 
U)  the  entire  community.  The  formal  opening  of  the  splendid  Library 
Building  on  February  7,  1890,  testifies  the  success  with  which  this 
pledge  has  been  kept,  by  the  help  of  citizens  who  have  contributed  the 
sum  needed  to  erect  this  magnificent  addition  to  the  University  and 
its  work.  This  building  is  considered  fireproof,  has  a  capacity  for 
3.50,000  volumes,  and  cost  $200,000,  which  was  secured  by  subscriptions 
from  friends  of  the  University. 

A  further  gift  of  land  by  the  city  had  occurred  in  1872,  when  city 
councils,  chiefly  through  the  earnest  exertions  of  Dr.  William  Pepper, 
granted  nearly  G  acres  of  land,  contiguous  to  the  other  property  of  the 
University,  upon  the  condition  that  a  general  hospital  should  be  erected 
thereon  in  which  50  free  beds  for  the  poor  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
should  be  forever  maintained.  Finally,  in  1889,  the  remaining  10  acres 
of  the  Blakley  property  were  sold  by  the  city  at  public  auction,  and 
were  secured  by  the  University  for  the  sum  of  $150,000.  By  these 
successive  steps  the  property  of  the  University  has  been  increased  to 
40  acres  in  an  unbroken  stretch.  The  situation  is  one  of  admirable 
vantage.  It  requires  but  a  glance  at  the  numerous  stately  buildings 
already  erected  to  carry  conviction  of  the  wisdom  of  the  city's  policy 
in  aiding  the  University  in  her  determination  to  secure  ample  terri- 
tory for  the  largest  expansion  of  her  educational  facilities  and  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  swelling  thousands  of  her  students. 

It  is  confidently  hoped  that  tlie  cordial  relations  between  the  city 
and  the  University,  thus  reestablished  after  an  interval  of  one  hun- 
dre<l  and  thirty  years,  indicate  that  in  all  future  time  the  city  will  be 
reatly  to  respond  to  any  projjcr  demavrd  from  the  University. 

Under  the  inspiration  given  by  Provost  Still6  and  by  Provost  Pep- 
per, and  by  the  trustees,  the  list  of  individual  benefactions  to  the  Uni- 


THE   RELATIONS   OF   THE    yNIVERSITY    AND    THE    CITY.      253 

versity  has  been  a  rapidly  growing  one,  and  the  citizens  of  Philadel- 
phia have  kei)t  far  ahead  of  the  city  in  the  splendor  of  their  gifts. 

As  the  result  of  the  efforts  of  the  alumni  of  the  medical  department 
of  the  University,  culminating  in  1871  in  a  formal  appeal  on  behalf  of 
its  society  to  the  trustees,  not  only  were  the  funds-  secured  from  the 
legislature  to  build  the  hospital  in  compliance  with  the  i)ledge  given 
to  the  city,  but  an  endowment  fund  which  now  amounts  to  over  $600,000 
has  been  obtained. 

Individual  benefactions  have  also  supi)lied  the  Gibson  Ward,  the 
Home  for  Nurses,  the  Mortuary  Building,  and  various  specific  funds  for 
the  noble  work  so  well  carried  on  by  the  hospital  staff.  The  Towne 
Scientific  School,  the  Wharton  School,  the  Veterinary  Deijartment,  the 
Biological  Department,  the  Library,  the  Department  of  Hygiene,  the 
Archaeological  Museum,  the  Sommerville  Collection  of  Glyptic  Art 
all  show  the  generous  interest  manifested  by  citizens  of  Philadelphia  in 
the  work  of  the  University.  Each  of  these  departments  is  described  in 
detail  in  this  volume,  but  in  speaking  of  the  relations  of  the  city  and  the 
University  it  is  only  right  that  reference  should  be  made  to  the  support 
given  by  individual  citizens  to  the  University.  Not  only  was  a  large  sum 
of  money  subscribed  for  the  Library  Building,  but  ar  number  of  smaller 
subscriptions  have  supplied  some  of  the  special  collections  now  housed 
within  its  spacious  quarters;  noteworthy  among  these  are  the  Allen, 
Library,  the  memorial  of  Prof.  George  Allen,  one  of  the  best  scholars 
and  teachers  in  the  long  roll  of  the  University;  the  Pott  Classical 
Library  bought  at  the  suggestion  of  Prof.  John  G.  R.  McElroy  (what 
better  monument  could  there  be  to  that  able  and  energetic  student, 
graduate,  and  teacher,  whose  whole  adnlt  life  was  spent  in  and  for  the 
University);  the  Leutsch  Classical  Library,  secured  by  the  exertions  of 
Prof.  F.  A.  Jackson  and  serving  to  fittingly  commemorate  his  long  serv- 
ice in  the  chair  of  Latin;  the  Library  of  Semitic  Languages,  procured 
mainly  through  Prof.  Jastrow;  the  Library  of  German  literature,  due  to 
the  efforts  of  Prof.  Seidensticker,  who  felt  the  need  ot  such  a  collection 
to  sujiplement  the  workof  his  chair  of  German;  theBiddleLaw  Library, 
the  gift  of  the  family  of  the  late  George  Biddle,  esq.,  one  of  the  brilliant 
juniors  of  the  profession,  cut  off  in  his  early  prime,  just  as  he  was  winning 
those  honors  which  his  great  abilities  and  noble  ambition  promised  him; 
the  Evans  Rogers  Library  of  Mechanics;  the  Stephen  Colwell  Economical 
Library,  and  the  special  collections  bearing*the  names  of  Seybert,  Mc- 
Cartee,  Krauth,  Crawford,  Hayden,  Alfred  Stille,  Wilham  Pepper, 
Wetherill,  Henry  C.  Carey,  Pemberton  Morris.  All  of  these  are  but 
part  of  the  many  gifts  that  show  what  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  have 
done  and  are  doing  for  the  University,  atoning  thus  for  the  neglect  of 
the  city  during  many  years.  The  chairs  endowed  as  memorials  of  indi- 
vidual citizens  are^  significant,  too,  of  this  revived  interest  in  the  work 
of  the  University.  These  are  the  John  Welsh  Centennial" Chair  of  His- 
tory and  English  Literature ;  the  Whitney  Chair  of  Dynamical  Engineer- 
ing; the  Adam  Seybert  Chair  of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Philosophy;  the 


254  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Pepper  Cbair  of  Hygiene;  the  Thomas  A.  Scott  Chair  of  Mathematics; 
the  John  Rhea  Barton  Professorship  of  Surgery;  then  there  are  the  John 
F.  Frazer  Memorial ;  the  Hector  Tyndale  Fellowship,  the  gift  of  the 
great  English  physicist;  the  Thomas  A.  Scott  Fellowship  in  Physics; 
the  Francis  Sergeant  Pepper  Fellowship  in  the  Graduate  Department 
for  Women;  and  a  long  and  lengthening  list  of  prizes;  the  Henry 
Keed,  the  Charles  P.  Krauth,  the  Sharswood,  Meredith,  and  Pembertou 
Morris  prizes  in  the  Law  School;  the  Henry  La  Barre  Jayne  prize;  the 
George  W.  Childs  and  Anthony  J.  Drexel  prizes;  the  Yardley  jmze; 
the  Van  Nostrand  prize;  the  Society  of  the  Alumni  prizes;  tlie  Phi 
Kappa  Sigma  prizes;  the  prizes  given  and  awarded  by  the  Faculties 
of  the  Medical  School,  the  Law  School,  and  the  College  Department. 
All  of  these  emphasize  the  names  of  those  whose  work  in  and  for 
the  University  is  gratefully  remembered.  Special  mention  must  be 
made  of  the  pioneer  gift  in  behalf  of  the  higher  education  of  women 
made  by  Mrs.  Bloomfield  Moore;  and  of  the  liberal  benefactions,  both 
in  money  and  buildings,  made  by  Joseph  M.  Bennett,  esq.,  to  the 
graduate  department  for  women.  Students,  insti-uctors,  professors, 
trustees,  and  others  whose  interest  and  substantial  sympathy  in  the 
work  of  the  University,  are  thus  borne  on  the  honor  roll  of  the  Uni- 
versity, and  it  serves  alike  to  attest  what  it  has  done  in  the  past, 
and  what  it  needs  to  carry  on  its  work  to-day,  and  what  are  its  pos- 
sibilities of  growth  in  the  future,  if  only  it  is  supplied  liberally  with 
the  means  of  advancing  its  teaching  in  all  directions.  Each  new 
branch  of  its  work  is  supported  by  contributions  from  citizens.  The 
dynamical  laboratory  owes  its  existence  to  the  gifts  of  those  whose 
names  represent  the  great  industrial  establishments  of  Philadelphia, 
thus  attesting  their  interest  in  the  higher  education  wliich  the  Uni- 
versity now  offers  to  the  students  of  mechanical  and  industrial  arts. 
The  contributors  to  the  laboratory  of  exi)erimental  psychology  show 
by  their  gifts  that  the  work  of  the  University  is  thus  by  public 
supix)rt  of  individual  citizens  enabled  to  keep  touch  with  the  latest 
developments  of  purely  scientific  inquiry.  The  maternity  hospital 
fund,  the  contributions  to  the  hospital,  to  the  Dr.  William  Pepper 
Medical  Library,  for  the  physiological  laboratory  for  plants,  and  for 
a  chair  of  Christian  ethics,  all  go  to  show  that  while  the  needs  of  the 
University  are  growing,  so,  too,  is  the  recognition  of  its  claims  alike 
upon  the  city  and  its  citizens.  To  them  it  must  look  for  that  impulse 
which  alone  can  keep  it  supplietl  with  the  means  of  carrying  on  its 
work.  The  latest  i)lan  calls  'for  a  liberal  endowment  of  a  school 
and  library  of  American  history,  and  the  very  fact  that  the  teachers 
of  that  important  subject  are  the  authors  of  this  appeal,  gives  it  a 
strong  foundation,  for  who  better  than  they  can  know  the  needs  of 
their  own  students  and  of  the  public  for  the  means  and  opportunities  of 
instruction  on  a  subject  of  such  vital  importance  ?  A  successful  answer 
will  be  the  best  test  of  the  establishment  of  the  right  relation  of  the 
Universit;y  and  tlie  city  and  citizens  of  Philadelphia. 


Chapter  VII. 
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ARTS. 


As  the  history  of  the  University  is  the  subject  of  a  distinct  paper  in 
this  volume,  in  which  are  rehearsed  in  proper  detail  all  matters  of  fact 
and  date,  I  do  not  propose  here  to  set  them  forth  again,  but  rather  to 
determine,  if  possible,  the  purpose  with  which  the  foundation  of  this 
department  of  the  University  system  -was  undertaken,  the  principles 
that  guided  its  founders  and  first  administrators  in  arranging  and  ad- 
justing its  educational  machinery,  the  influence  of  these  principles  in 
shaping  the  after  course  of  the  institution,  and  the  new  developments 
and  wider  scope  given  them  in  these  later  years.  Naturally  our  chief 
interest  fixes  itself  upon  the  opening  and  closing  periods  of  the  Univer- 
sity's history,  because  in  the  first  of  thes?i  there  is  the  spectacle  of  a 
great  and  inevitable  need  making  itself  felt  and  calling  forth  the  best 
efforts  of  earnest,  thoughtful  men  to  supply  it;  and  of  such  men  with 
only  the  traditions  of  the  Old  World  to  guide  them,  grappling  with 
this  problem,  and  endeavoring  to  work  out  a  solution  of  it  that  should 
take  into  account  the  new  conditions  and  altered  circumstances  of  the 
young  and  grooving  colony  (and  it  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that 
these  new  conditions  and  altered  circumstances  presented  a  more  seri- 
ous difficulty  in  matters  educational  than  in  things  material  or  eco- 
nomic), and  because  in  the  latter  of  these  periods  we  have  to  trace  the 
introduc'tion  of  new  processes  incident  partly  upon  the  large  and  sud- 
den development  of  physical  science,  and  partly  upon  the  closer  study 
of  proper  educational  methods.  This  latter  I  have  called  the  closing 
period.  It  is  so,  of  course,  only  in  a  chronoh)gical  sense,  because  it  has 
extended  up  to  the  moment  of  this  writing.  Strictly  and  historically 
it  is  only  a  beginning,  the  beginning  of  a  new  period  in  the  course  ot 
the  University  not  to  be  defined  by  the  present  moment,  but  to  extend 
beyond  it  until  some  new  development  gives  us  a  new  date.  Nor  must 
it  be  supposed  that  such  division  into  periods  marks  any  real  break  in 
the  continuity  of  history.  We  shall  find,  I  think,  that  every  genuine 
educational  theory  and  the  practice  of  it  bears  within  it  two  elements — 
a  permanent,  based  upon  the  unchanging  facts  of  human  nature,  and  a 
variable,  the  outcome  of  the  circumstances  of  a  particular  period.  Of 
these  the  permanent  persists  and  forms  the  cord  that  binds  the  total  his- 
tory into  a  unity,  but  the  variable  with  its  changes  marks  off  the  dates  by 
which  we  reckon.    It  is  only  when  this  variable  element  has  outlived  the 

255 


256  THE    UNIVERSITV   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

days  of  its  usefulness,  has  fallen  from  the  level  of  a  rational  system  to 
that  of  a  mechanical  routine,  and  has  thus,  from  lack  of  thought,  come 
to  be  confounded  with  the  essential  and  permanent,  that  any  change, 
however  accordant  with  prcAaous  history,  seems  to  partake  of  the 
nature  of  a  revolution,  and  to  betoken  a  complete  severance  of  historic 
sequence.  It  may  be  that  the  innovators  haA^e  a  like  inadequate  notion 
of  their  own  work ;  that  they,  too,  mistake  for  permanent  in  their  own 
scheme  what  is  but  temporary,  and  rate  for  temporary  in  the  scheme 
what  would  reform  something  that  is  permanent,  but  time  will  take 
charge  of  this,  and  will  surely  rectify  their  mistakes.  An  educational 
institution  is  not  a  fabric  to  be  taken  up  or  pulled  down  or  rebuilt,  or 
fundamentally  remodeled.  It  is  a  growth  with  its  roots  in  the  past,  and 
the  only  way  to  break  with  that  past  is  to  kill  the  institution-  itself, 
and  with  it  probably  the  innovations  proposed. 

A  feeluig  that  the  time  had  come  in  the  growth  of  the  colony  when  a 
determined  effort  was  to  be  made  to  provide  its  citizens  with  the  means 
of  education  at  home,  in  order  that  a  sufficient  number  of  properly 
trained  men  might  be  at  hand  to  supply  the  increasing  need  of  intelli- 
gent magistrates,  merchants,  teachers,  and  citizens,  and  a  sense  that 
just  then,  and  perhaps  for  sOnie  time  to  come,  public  provision  was  not 
likely  to  be  made  to  meet  this  want,  led  a  number  of  the  public  spirited 
citizens  of  Philadelphia,  with  Franklin  among  them,  to  lay  their  hands 
to  the  work  of  establishing  an  Academy.  Having  themselves  liberally 
subscribed  to  the  necessary  funds  and  secured  other  private  subscrip- 
tions, besides  a  sum  of  £200  and  an  annual  contribution  of  £50  fronj 
the  council  of  Philadelphia,  and  £100  more  fioni  merchants  in  Lojidon, 
the  trustees  felt  able  to  announce  for  January,  1750,  the  ox)ening  of  an 
academy,  "  Wherein  youth  will  be  taught  Latin,  Greek,  English,  French, 
and  CJerman  languages,  logic  and  rhetoric,  also  writing,  arithmetic,  mer- 
chants' a(;counts,  geometry,  algebra,  surveying,  gauging,  astronomy, 
drawing  in  perspective,  and  other  mathematical  sciences,  with  natural 
and  mechanic  philosophy,  etc.,  agreeable  to  the  constitution  heretofore 
published,  at  the  rate  of  £4  per  annum  and  20  shillings  entrance."  As 
the  i)aper  the  trustees  addressed  to  the  common  council  of  Philadelphia 
shows,  and  as  Dr.  Smith,  the  first  provost,  expressly  testifies  in  his 
historic  account  of  the  foundation,  an  element  of  danger  was  felt  at  this 
time  to  be  present  in  the  rapid  infiux  of  non-English  colonists,  the  Ger- 
mans, who  have  left  so  deep  a  mark  upon  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
It  was  not  only  necessary  to  provide  educated  men  for  magistrates,  etc., 
but  it  was  imperative  early  to  set  in  operation  some  influence  that 
should  bring  the  colonists  into  unity  and  harmony;  the  Germans  nuist 
be  Anglicized,  at  least  so  far  as  to  lead  them  to  comprehend  the  insti- 
tutions and  traditions  of  the  people  amongst  whom  they  had  come  to 
live,  and  to  habituate  them  to  the  thought  that  they  and  the  English 
around  them  were  to  form  one  people  in  mind  and  heart  as  well  as  in 
habitation,  and  no  means,  it  was  seen,  could  be  so  effectual  to  this  end 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  257 

as  the  institution  of  such  an  academy  whence  a  snpi^Iy  of  properly- 
trained  teacliers,  and  it  might  be  preachers  as  well,  could  be  put  forth 
among  these  dajigerous,  because  foreign,  elements.  It  is  not  a  matter 
for  surprise,  therefore,  to  find  both  Franklin  and  Dr.  Smith  actively 
interested  a  little  later  in  the  Avork  of  the  society  for  educating  the 
Germans  in  Pennsylvania.  The  work  of  this  society  was  distinct  from 
that  of  the  College,  but  the  relation  of  the  College  to  it  was,  and  was  in- 
tended to  be,  more  intimate  than  a  merely  personal  one  through  its 
])rovost  and  most  eminent  trustee.  The  society  was  needed  to  meet 
the  exigencies  of  the  moment,  but  there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that 
both  Franklin  and  Dr.  Smith  hoped  and  expected  that  the  growth  of 
the  College  would  render  the  existence  of  a  separate  society  unneces- 
sary, or  at  any  rate  would  furnish  them  with  the  teachers  that  just  then 
they  were  compelled  to  take  where  they  could  find  them.  The  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania,  it  may  be  fairly  said,  had  its  birth  in  a  scheme" 
for  what  we  have  lately  learned  to  call  "  university  extension."  This 
probably  accounts  for  the  instruction  in  the  German  language  that  was 
offered  in  the  prosiDectus  of  the  new  Academy.  It  will  account  also  for 
some  other  peculiar  facts  to  be  related  farther  on. 

I  have  anticipated  chronological  order  in  using  the  term  "  College;"  but 
according  to  Dr.  Smith's  explicit  statement,  the  views  of  the  trustees  did 
not  stop  with  the  establishment  of  an  Academy;  it  was  their  idea  to  es- 
tablish this  at  least,  and  then  to  feel  their  way  towards  something 
higher;  a  College  it  was  hoped,  might  be  reared  on  the  basis  of  the 
Academy,  if  it  should  succeed  in  demonstrating  its  usefulness  and  so  win 
its  way  to  favor  and  patronage.  Three  years  after  the  opening  of  the 
academy,  a  pamphlet  entitled  '^  A  General  Idea  of  the  College  of  Mi- 
rania,"  written  by  the  Rev.  William  Smith  and  intended  as  a  "  sketch 
for  a  ])ropose(l  college  in  New  York,"  was  sent  by  its  author  to  Frank- 
lin, then  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  newly  founded 
Academy.  This  pamphlet  produced  a  marked  effect-on  Franklin,  and 
led  to  a  correspondence  between  him  and  Mr.  Smith,  which  culminated 
in  the  appointmentof  thclatteras  provost  of  the  College.  The  Academy 
had  prospered  as  well  as  its  most  sanguine  friends  could  desire,  and  in 
July,  1753,  had  obtained  from  the  proprietors  of  the  colony  a  charter 
of  incorporation  together  with  a  gitt  in  lands  and  money  amounting  to 
£3,000.  It  is  quite  clear  that  the  trustees  were  already  bent  on  realiz- 
ing at  an  early  moment  the  further  development  of  the  project  they  had 
undertaken.  Evidently,  too,  they  felt  as  wise  men  would,  that  the  proper 
head  for  the  College  must  be  found  before  they  took  steps  to  give  their 
Academy  the  more  ambitious  name.  Their  action  in  this  matter  might 
well  be  a  lesson  to  us  of  the  present  day  and  to  all  generations  to  come. 
The  College  or  University  idea  must  first  be  secured  in  the  mincrof  a 
competent  administrator  before  the  venture  is  made  of  issuing  any 
promissory  note  to  the  public;  otherwise,  when  the  public  demands, 
as  it  is  entitled  to  do,  fulfillment  of  the  promise  given,  the  means  may 
1180 17 


258  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

not  be  at  hand  for  paying  the  debt.  Unfortunately  this  lesson  of  their 
exanijile  was  but  too  soon  to  be  forgotten  by  their  own  successors. 

On  May  24,  1754,  the  Kev.  William  Smith  (afterwards  Dr.  Smith) 
was  "  inducted  provost  of  the  College  and  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy,"  and  the  very  next  day  he  "  commenced 
teaching  in  the  philosophy  class,  also  ethics  and  rhetoric  to  the  ad- 
vanced pupils."  TheusebyDr.  Smith  in  his  diary  of  the  word  "college," 
in  the  title  of  the  institution,  shows  what  he  was  expected  to  do;  for 
the  addition  of  this  Avord  to  the  corporate  title  was^  not  authorized  by 
charter  until  May  14,  1755,  Avhen  authority  to  confer  degrees  was  also 
granted. 

in  an  elaborate  paper,  Dr.  Smith  has  himself  set  forth  the  history  of 
the  Academy  up  to  the  time  when  he  took  charge  of  it,  the  scheme  of 
instruction  which  he  had  made  out  for  the  Academy  and  the  College 
that  was  to  stand  upon  it,  and,  more  precious  and  interesting  than 
these,  valuable  as  they  are,  the  principles  that  guided  and  determined 
his  action  in  framing  his  system.  As  might  be  expected — as,  indeed, 
must  always  be  the  case  in  any  wise  scheme — the  principles  are  broader 
than  their  embodiment  in  the  curriculum.  There  is  much  in  the  cur- 
riculum that  to-day  would  be  changed,  owing  to  altered  circumstances, 
further  development  "bf  special  branches,  a  clearer  insight  into  the  na- 
ture of  some;  but  the  principles  stand  firm  as  ever,  and,  indeed,  defy 
attack. 

It  is  hoped  [he  says]  that  the  student  may  be  led  through  a  scale  of  very  easy 
ascent,  till  finally  renderotl  capable  of  thinking,  writing,  and  acting  well,  which  are 
the  grand  objects  of  a  liberal  education. 

Nothiug  can  l)e  jiroposed  by  any  scheme  of  collegiate  education  but  to  lay  such  a 
gen«'ral  foundation  in  all  branches  of  literature  as  may  enable  the  youth  to  perfect 
themselves  in  those  particular  parts  t(»  which  their  liusiness  or  genius  may  after- 
wards lead  them;  and  scarce  anything  has  more  obstructed  the  advancement!  of 
sound  learning  than  a  vain  Imagination  that  a  few  years  spent  at  college  can  render 
youth  such  absolute  masters  of  sciencfe  as  to  absolve  them  from  all  further  study. 

And  though  wo  flatter  ojirselves  we  shall  enrich  our  country  with  many  minds 
that  are  liberally  accomplished,  and  send  out  uoue  that  may  justly  bo  termed  barren 
or  nnimproved,  yet  we  hope  that  the  youth  committed  to  our  care  will,  neither  at 
college  nor  afterwards,  rest  satisfied  with  such  a  general  knowledge  as  is  to  be  ac- 
qnire<l  from  the  public  lectures  and  exercises.  We  rather  trust  that  those  whose 
ta«to  is  once  formed  for  the  acquisition  of  solid  wisdom  will  think  it  their  duty  and 
most  rational  satisfaction  to  accoujpUsh  themselves  still  further  by  manly  persever- 
ance in  private  study  and  meditation. 

The  hope  here  expressed,  the  value  of  which  as  an  aim  constantly 
present  to  the  mind  of  the  teacher  can  not  be  overestimated,  was  not 
allowed  to  remain  a  hope,  or  even  left  to  the  chances  of  individual 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  professors.  Distinct  provision  was  made  for 
its  realization  by  supplementing  the  curriculum  with  a  copious  Hst  "of 
choice,  approved  writers  in  the  various  branches  of  literature,  which 
will  be  easily  understood  when  once  a  foundation  is  laid  in  the  books 
to  be  used  as  classics  under  the  several  lectures.    This  list  is  only 


THP]  DEPARTMENT  OF  ARTS.  259 

meant  as  a  private  library,  to  be  consulted  occasionally  in  the  lectures 
for  the  illustration  of  any  particular  j)art,  and  to  be  read  afterwards  for 
completinfj  the  whole."  This,  in  its  way,  embodies  the  idea,  and  was  at 
that  time  doubtless  the  only  feasible  substitute  for  pest- graduate  courses 
of  study;  and  I  can  not  refrain  from  saying  here  that  nuiuy  a  student  in 
later  days  would  have  been  thankful  for  such  an  official  list,  or,  in  de- 
fault of  that,  for  some  clear  indication  that  such  a  list  could  easily  be 
furnished  if  desired.     More  questionable  is  this : 

They  (the  trustees)  were  very  sensible  that  the  knowledge  of  words,  without 
making  them  subservient  to  the  knowledge  of  things,  could  never  be  considered  as 
the  basis  of  education.  To  lay  a  foundation  in  the  languages  was  very  necessary  as 
a  first  step,  but  without  the  superstructure  of  the  sciences  would  be  but  of  little 
use  for  the  conduct  of  life. 

The  idea  that  language  is  crystallized  thought  in  words  and  word- 
forms,  as  well  as  in  the  concatenations  of  words  we  call  sentences;  that 
literature  is  the  expression  of  thought,  meditation,  and  aspiration  by 
means  of  this  thought  material,  and  that,  as  thought  is  of  the  innermost 
essence  of  humanity,  these,  its  outward  sensible  manifestations,  must 
be  the  most  powerful  instruments  of  human  education,  was  perhaps 
hardly  to  be  looked  for  in  Br.  Smith's  day ;  it  may  indeed  be  said  that 
to  the  loud  claim  made  in  the  name  of  physical  science  that  in  it  is 
to  be  found  the  be-all  and  end-all  of  human  education,  has  been  in 
these  latter  days  due  the  clearer  perception  of  the  true  foundation  of 
literature  and  language  in  a  human  scheme  for  human  education.  And 
it  is  curious  to  note  that  the  first  serious  departure  from  Dr.  Smith's 
scheme,  and  the  first  nearer  approach  to  the  present  system  lay  just  in 
the  more  independent  position  that  was  given  to  the  study  of  languages. 
A  fact  that  strikes  one-as  curious  and  interesting  in  view  of  recent  dis- 
cussions is  that  the  College  course  as  he  laid  it  down  embraces  only  a 
period  of  three  years;  with  reference  to  this  he  says:  "No  doubt  the 
term  of  three  years"  will  appear  "too  scanty  a  period  for  the  execution 
of  everything  here  proposed,  and  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  a  longer 
period  would  be  necessary.  But  circumstances  must  always  be  regarded 
in  the  execution  of  every  plan."  This  same  question  of  three  versus 
four  years  in  the  arrangement  of  College  work  we  shall  find  coming  up 
again;  and  it  is  i)roof  of  the  far-reaching  influence  of  Dr.  Smith  in  de- 
termining the  after  course  of  the  College  that  we  find  him  cited  (as  an 
evident  authority)  on  one  side  of  the  question  in  a  way  that  shows 
clearly  he  had  been  appealed  to  by  the  other  likewise. 

An  examination  of  the  details  of  his  curriculum  is  peculiarly  interest- 
ing, and  the  more  so  as  it  evidently  formed  the  basis  of  the  College 
course  down  to  1828,  and  its  influence  can  be  distinctly  felt  as  late  as 
1847.  Particularly  noteworthy  is  the  fiict  that  while  several  of  the 
branches  inserted  by  Dr.  Smith  disappeared  in  the  various  reorgani- 
zations of  the  course  it  was  only  (with  one  exception)  to  reappear  later 
on,  and  to  take  upon  themselves  such  enlarged  and  independent  devel- 


260  THE    [•^IVEK^^ITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

opment  as  to  pass  for  iuiiovations  that  savored  no  little  of  the  revolu- 
tionary. Our  colleagues  of  the  Wharton  School  and  of  the  School  of 
Biology  had  a  legitimate  predecessor  in  Dr.  Smith.  The  scheme  is  laid 
in  three  parallel  columns,  representing  ea(;h  one  of  the  three  daily  lec- 
tures. Each  one  of  these  columns  evidently  embraces  a  dji«;tinct  prov- 
ince in  the  scheme  of  education,  though  in  the  second  year  the  subjects 
proper  to  the  second  column  have  perforce  overflowed  slightly  into  the 
tirst.  In  the  tirst  lecture,  after  a  preliminary  training  in  logic  and 
metaphysics  to  develop  his  powers  of  thought,  the  student  is  to  be 
brought  to  a  knowledge  and  i)ractical  sense  of  his  position  as  a  man 
and  a  citizen;  and  this  by  a  course  embracing  ethics,  natural  and  civil 
law,  an  introduction  to  civil  history,  to  laws  and  government,  tt)  trade 
and  commerce.  By  the  second  he  is  led  up  through  an  extended  course 
in  mathematics  (including  conic  sections  and  fluxions)  to  the  study  of 
external  nature  in  the  branches  of  mechanics,  physics,  astronomy,  nat- 
ural history  of  vegetables  and  animals,  chemistry,  fossils,  and  agricul- 
ture. While  he  was  thus  gaining  the  necessary  elements  for  a  xu'oper 
appreciation  of  his  condition  as  a  member  of  the  human  race,  and  as 
the  inhabitant  of  a  world,  subject  to  physical  laws,  the  student  in  the 
third  lecture  (or  period)  was  getting  a  training  that  should  prepare  him 
for  the  a<^tive  exertion  by  tongue  and  pen  of  whatever  abilities  he  pos- 
sessed, so  that  the  knowledge  gained  in  the  first  two  might  be  made 
available  for  the  good  of  himself  and  his  fellows  through  the  skill  ac- 
ipiired  in  the  third.  In  this  period  was  given  the  course  in  ancient 
langimges  and  coni2)osition  (except  that  Latin  ami  English  exercises 
occupied  also  the  first  two  tenns  of  the  first  i)eriod  in  the  freshman 
year);  the  first  year  was  devoted  to  reading  the  Iliad,  Juvenal,  Pindar, 
Cicero,  Livy,  Thucydides  ar  Eurii)ides,  and  Dionysius,  with  occasional 
declamations;  the  second  to  rhetoric  and  thecritcal  reading  of  (pseudo) 
Longinus,  Horace's  Ars  Poetica,  Aristotle's  Poetics,  selections  from 
Quintilian,  followed  by  Cicero  pro  Mihme  and  Demosthenes  de  Corona, 
with  comi)ositions  in  imitation  of  them;  the  third  to  "moral  and  legal 
works  parallel  with  the  studies  of  the  first  period;  parallel  with  ethics 
Were  read  Epictetus,  Cicero  de  Ofticiis,  Tusculan's  Disputations,  Xeno- 
phon's  Memorabilia;  j^arallel  with  the  course  in  laws  and  government, 
Plato  de  Legibus,  Grotius  de  Jure  Belli  et  Pacis.  And  after  the  first 
and  third  hn^tures  had  thus  been  brought  into  unison  and  harmony, 
the  last  term  of  the  senior  year  was  utilized  to  bring  the  three 
IK'rio<ls  into  their  proper  relation  by  compositions  and  declamations  on 
subjects  given  in  the  first  two  Jiccording  to  the  princii)les  developed  in 
the  third.  Even  this  hasty  examination  of  the  scheme  makes  it  abun- 
dantly evident  that  Dr.  Smith  had  a  very  distinct  aim  in  laying  it  out, 
a  i)oint  worth  i)ausing  to  consider,  for  it  would  be  hard  to  find  such 
definition  of  jmrixjse  in  many  a  college  course.  He  would  send  forth 
young  men  equipped  with  knowledge  of  themselves,  their  fellows,  and 
of  the  natural  order  of  the  world,  and  able  to  impart  this  knowledge  to 


THK    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  261 

others,  l)oth  as  teachers  and  as  writers.  And  wliat  is  equally  worthy 
of  remark,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  layinj^  down  independent  coirrses 
to  this  end;  these  courses  nmst  interlock  and  mutually  sui>i)ort  one 
another,  and  ultimately  converge  into  one  locus  as  it  were,  so  as  to  im- 
press upon  the  minds  of  the  young  in  very  practical  fVishion  the  essen- 
tial unity  of  the  whole,  and  at  the  same  time  helj)  to  give  unity  and 
singleness  of  purpose  to  any  after  efforts  they  might  make,  as  he  was 
anxious  they  should,  in  the  direction  of  self-culture. 

The  excellent  provision  he  made  for  this  further  pri)secution  of  study 
by  lists  of  standard  works  has  already  been  adverted  to.  Equally  re- 
markable is  the  comprehensiveness  of  the  scheme.  If  we  regard  the 
University  as  being  what  the  modern  Greeks  in  their  mistranslation 
have  called  it,  a  TtavziriffT-qiuuv^  we  are  surprised  to  find  how  completely 
a  compartment  was  prepared  for  each  of  the  many  specialties  that  have 
since  grown  from  the  small  germs  that  then  existed.  It  is  true  we  miss 
any  distinct  provision  for  the  study  of  literature;  but  one  side  of  this 
study,  the  rhetorical,  was  certainly  made  much  of  in  the  teaching  of  the 
ancient  classics  and  several  at  least  of  the  works  recommended  for 
private  reading,  the  Spectator,  Locke,  Lord  Bacon,  Dryden's  Essays 
and.  Prefaces,  were  such  as  could  not  fail  to  communicate  more  than  a 
tinge  of  literary  culture.  So  that  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  there 
was  a  seed  here  from  which  the  study  of  English  literature  might  natu- 
rally grow,  and  that  the  linguistic  and  literary  study  of  Latin  and 
Greek  could  easily  be  grafted  upon  the  rhetorical  pursuit  of  them  here 
arrived  at.  As  to  the  English  tongue  indeed,  Dr.  Smith  was  so  earnest 
in  his  persuasion  that  it  was  of  prime  importance,  and  that  in  the 
English  universities  it  had  been  too  much  neglected,  that  we  may  be 
sure,  had  he  lived  in  our  day,  he  would  have  been  amongst  the.  most 
zealous  laborers  to  secure  it  a  worthy  place  in  the  college  he  helped  to 
found.  Language  and  literary  form  were,  to  his  mind,  mere  instruments 
of  expression,  tools  that  one  might  use  clumsily  or  skillfully,  and  as  such 
only  did  they  claim  a  place  in  a  college  course.  He  was  not  alone  in 
his  view  in  those  days  (there  are  some  who  hold  it  yet,  the  more's  the 
pity)  and  we  need  not  be  surprised  that  his  beliefs  took  evident  shape 
in  the  curriculum. 

Below  this,  but  in  Dr.  Smith's  view  forming  part  of  the  College,  was 
a  Latin  and  Greek  school  in  four  forms  or  stages,  in  which  were  read 
Eutropius,  Nepos,  Metamorphoses,  Virgil,  Caesar,  Sallust,  Horace,  Ter- 
ence, Livy,  the  Greek  Testament,  Lucian,  and  Xenophon  or  Homer. 
In  the  last  form  English  writing,  original  (themes,  letters,  descrip- 
tions, and  characters)  and  translated  from  Latin  "  with  great  regard 
to  punctuation  and  the  choice  of  words,"  received  special  attention ; 
English  and  Latin  orations  "  are  to  be  delivered,  with  proper  grace, 
both  of  elocution  and'  of  gesture;"  arithmetic  was  begun.  "  Some  of 
the  youth,"  he  says,  "  go  through  these  stages  in  three  years,  but  most 
require  four  and  many  five  years,  especially  if  they  begin  under  9 


262  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

or  10  years  of  age.  It  may  be  inferred  from  tliis  that  the  average  age 
of  students  on  entering  the  philosophy  schools  (we  should  say  the 
course  in  arts)  was  from  13  to  14  years. 

In  the  distribution  of  the  work  the  three  years  of  the  philosophy 
schools  ^or  course  in  arts)  were  assigned  to  the  provost  and  vice-pro- 
vost, professors  of  natural  and  moral  philosophy  respectively;  the 
Latin  and  Greek  schools  to  the  professor  of  languages,  with  the  aid  of 
tutors.  The  i)rofessors  of  English  and  oratory  and  of  mathematics 
taught  only  in  the  Academy. 

Such  was  the  conception  of  the  College  that  Dr.  Smith  endeavored 
to  realize  in  his  administration.  Fortunately,  he  was  a  man  who  pos- 
sessed not  only  a  head  to  conceive,  but  administrative  talent  to  carry 
into  effect  what  his  head  had  so  well  planned.  The  plan  was  thoroughly 
carried  (mt  in  its  details.  Of  this  we  have  not  only  his  own  explicit 
statement,  but  independent  evidence  in  the  notebooks,  still  preserved, 
of  tlie  students  in  the  branches  of  natural  and  moral  philosophy. 

The  prosperity  promised  by  the  excellence  of  the  plan,  and  the  vigor 
of  the  provost,  and  verified  in  the  growing  number  of  the  students, 
was  interrui)te4  by  the  turbulent  days  of  the  Revolution,  and  worse 
yet,  absolutely  cut  short  by  the  unjust  and  injudicious  action  of  the 
legislature  of  Pennsylvania.  Ceiait  plus  qu^un  crime,  e'etait  une 
faille.  On  the  most  absurd  grounds  the  charter  of  the  College  was 
taken  away  in  1779,  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the  faculty  dissolved, 
and  a  new  institution  incorporated  under  the  style  of  the  "  University 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,"  with  a  new  Board  of  Trustees  and  a 
new  faculty.  The  difticult  days  of  the  Revolution  might  have  been 
tided  over,  and  the  setback  given  by  the  British  occupation  of  Phila- 
delphia retrieved  by  tlie  tried  vigor  of  the  provost  with  the  prestige 
already  won,  but  it  was  quite  another  thing  to  win  the  confidence  of 
the  public  for  a  new  institution  and  an  untried  administration;  and 
matters  doubtless  were  not  improved  to  people's  minds  when  they 
thought  over  the  process  of  the  action  and  the  causes  that  gave  birth 
to  the  new  University.  In  ]  789  this  action  was  reversed  and  the 
charter  restored,  but  it  was  soon  felt  that  there  was  not  room  in  the 
small  ccmimunity  for  the  restored  College  and  the  rival  that  had  sup- 
l)Ianted  it.  In  1791  a  union  of  the  two  was  effected  under  the  name 
and  title  of  the  "  University  of  Pennsylvania."  One-half  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  was  taken  from  the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.   A  new  faculty  was  to  be  chosen  by  the  new  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  course  was  extended  t«  four  years.  P^xactly  how  this  was  done  is 
not  clear,  but  there  is  evidence  to  show  that  it  was  partly  due  to  the 
incorporation  into  the  course  in  arts  of  the  last  "  stage  or  form"  in  Dr. 
Smith's  Latin  and  Greek  schools,  foi-  in  1810,  when  we  first  come  upon 
a  statement  of  the  requirements  for  admission,  we  find  them  more  than 
fulfilled  (except  as  to  arithmetic)  by  the  studies  in  the  third  "  stage  or 
form  "  of  these  schools.   There  must,  however,  have  been  a  slight  shifting 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  263 

of  position  in  some  of  ttie  studies  of  the  course  itself.  In  no  other  way 
does  the  course  appear  to  have  been  modified ;  the  studies  remained 
the  same;  the  end  in  view  was  unchanged.  There  was,  however,  a 
redistribution  of  the  work  of  teadiing.  The  professors  of  natural  and 
moral  philosophy  were  henceforth  to  teach  only  the  two  upper  classes; 
the  professors  of  mathematics  and  of  belles-lettres  (a  new  title  replacing 
that  of  English  and  oratory),  the  two  lower  classes.  These  four  con- 
stituted the  college  faculty.  The  professor  of  mathematics  had  charge 
of  all  the  pure  mathematics;  tiie  iirofessor  of  belles-lettres,  of  rhetoric 
and  the  reading  of  Latin  and  Greek  authors,  with  a  view  to  instruc- 
tion in  polite  letters;  the  professor  of  natural  philosophy,  of  the  applied 
mathematics  and  the  natural  sciences  as  mapped  out  by  Dr.  Smith; 
the  professor  of  morad  philosophy,  besides  his  philosophic  iustructioii, 
was  to  read  such  Latin  and  Greek  classics  as  bore  upon  his  prox)er  field. 
The  course  is  nowhere  laid  down  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  find;  but 
these  facts  warrant  the  statement  already  made  that  it  was  essentially 
Dr.  Smith's.  The  principles  are  evidently  his,  and  the  changes  are  fully 
accounted  for  by  the  addition  of  a  year  to  the  course,  and  of  the  two 
professors  to  the  faculty.  The  professor  of  languages,  as  before,  was 
merely  the  "  head  of  a  grammar  school."  It  may  be  worth  mentioning 
Jiere  as  a  proof  that  the  University  felt  itself  to  have  fallen  heir  to  the 
works  of  tlic  Society  for  p]ducating  the  Germans  in  Pennsylvania,  .that 
the  new  trustees  established  a  grammar  school  where  youth  could  be 
taught  Latin  and  Greek  through  the  German  tongue,  and  chose  a  pro- 
fessor of  German  and  Oriental  languages  to  be  the  head  of  it.  When  it 
came  to  the  election  of  professors,  Dr.  Smith's  name  was  rejected  by 
a  small  majority.  Dr.  Ewing,  who  had  been  provost  of  the  late  Univer- 
sity, was  elected  provost  and  professor  of  natural  philosophy  in  the  new. 
There  are  not  wanting  signs  to  show  that  this  was  predetermined.  It 
was  stipulated  (before  any  name  had  been  mentioned)  that  the  professor 
of  moral  ])hilosophy  should  take  charge  of  such  branches  of  natural 
pliilos()i)hy  as  the  incumbent  of  that  chair  "might  not  be  able  to 
manage."  This  could  hardly  apply  to  Dr.  Smith,  as  his  j)revious  record 
shows,  but  it  was  not  long  before  complaints  arose  as  to  the  insufficiency 
of  Dr.  Ewing's  instruction,  particularly  as  to  the  performance  of  illus- 
trative experiments. 

From  whatever  cause  their  choice  proceeded,  they  had  ample  occupa- 
tion in  regretting  its  results,  though  it  was  long  unfortunately  before 
they  reached  a  clear  view  of  the  mistake  they  had  made.  For  the 
doubly  difhcult  task  of  resuscitating  a  defunct  college,  there  was  more 
need  than  ever  of  one  man  of  clear  head  and  strong  will,  able  to  see  the 
right  end  and  the  right  way  to  it,  and  able  as  well  to  get  both  trustees 
and  faculty  to  take  that  right  way  to  that  right  end.  It  was  of  no  avail 
10  adopt  a  scheme,  however  wise,  if  that  scheme  was  to  be  left  to  itself; 
no  scheme  is  worth  more  than  the  mind  and  the  will  of  him  who  is 
oenind  it;  and  most  emphatically  is  this  true  of  a  scheme  of  education. 


264  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

That  the  first  duty  of  a  Board  of  Trustees  is  to  put  such  a  man  at  the 
baek  of  their  plan,  that  he  may  put  the  life's  blood  of  his  own  energy, 
and  the  rational  methods  of  his  own  wisdom  into  it,  the  history  of  the 
course  in  arts  proves.  Trustees  have  proi)er  functions  of  their  own; 
they  can  not  take  his  upon  themselves  with  safety.  Practically  the 
coui-se  in  arts  was  now  without  such  a  head;  and  the  natural  results 
soon  disclosed  themselves.  Everything  seemed  to  go  wrong.  The 
faculty  were  not  at  one;  the  students  murmured,  their  parents  mur- 
mured; the  trustees,  without  experience  in  education,  what  could 
they  do?  One  thing  at  least — and  they  did  it.  They  appointed  com- 
mittees of  investigation.  Before  the  century  was  out,  we  find  one  of 
these  committees  helplessly  wondering  whether  the  board  might  not 
itself  be  responsible  for  the  lack  of  success,  because  they  had  drawn  up 
no  definite  scheme  of  instruction!  What  better  could  they  have  done 
than  what  they  did;  adopt  the  excellent  schemes  that  lay  before  them 
ready  made  to  their  hands,  if  only  they  had  not  neglected  to  put  at  the 
head  of  the  College  the  one  man  who  could  put  meaning  into  every  line 
of  it.  The  very  comparison  they  made  with  the  success  of  the  Medical 
Course  might  have  taught  them  a  lesson;  that  course  was  certainly  not 
of  their  devising;  and  the  success  that  attended  it  was  due  to  the  quali- 
ties to  be  found  in  the  faculty,  and  to  that  intelligent  unity  of  counsels 
and  of  efforts  which  were  secured  to  it  by  the  professional  character  of 
its  instruction.  It  is  curious  to  see  how  their  minds  kept  going  back  to 
Dr.  Smith's  scheme;  but  it  is  ever  the  scheme,  not  the  man,  they  think 
of.  On  March  4,  1810,  they  ii-amed  new  and  detailed  rules  for  the 
guidance  of  the  professors  and  thus  tried  to  lay  the  ghost  that  haunted 
tliem.  The}'  had  departed  from  Dr.  Smith's  scheme  by  severing  the 
pure  mathematics  from  the  chair  of  Natural  Philosophy,  and  as  the  pro- 
fessors who  hehl  these  chairs  had  quarreled,  there  could  be  no  reason- 
able doubt  that  a  return  to  his  scheme  in  this  particular  was  necessary; 
these  chairs  at  one,  as  they  must  now  be,  all  would  go  well.  But  the 
ghost  would  not  down ;  all  did  not  go  w  ell.  A  still  further  return  must 
be  made. 

It  is  true  there  is  no  mention  of  Dr.  Smith,  but  at  a  later  period,  when 
this  same  matter  came  up  again,  his  name  is  mentioned,  and  his  author- 
ity appealed  to.  They  luid  already  done  away  with  the  professor  of 
mathejnatics;  but  neither  this  nor  the  new  rules  they  had  framed  had 
brought  any  increase  of  numbers  or  of  reputation.  Now  they  would 
again  reduce  the  number  of  classes  from  four  to  three.  There  should 
now  be  three  classes  and  three  professors:  a  professor  of  natural  phil- 
osophy and  mathematics,  a  professor  of  moral  jjliilosophy,  and  a  pro- 
fessor of  languages;  the  duties  remained  as  before,  the  professor  of 
languages  taking  the  place  of  the  professor  of  belles-lettres.  They 
would  require  for  admission  Cassar,  Virgil,  Latin  composition,  the  Gos- 
l)els,  and  arithmetic.  If  this  be  com])ared  with  the  forms  and  stages  in 
Dr.  Smith's  Latin  and  Greek  Schools  it  will  at  once  be  seen  that,  except 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  265 

as  to  arithmetic,  liis  fliird-forin  boys  could  now  enter  college.  In  so 
far,  therefore,  they  had  lowered  the  standard  whi(;h  he  had  set  up  and 
successfully  maintained.  The  three  years  took  their  fancy,  as  it  has 
taken  many  people's  lancy  since,  and  they  saw  in  it  a  panacea  for  all 
the  ills  they  were  suffering  from.  This  was  in  1810.  For  a  brief  space 
they  contein])lated  their  work  with  satisfaction ;  but  within  fifteen  years 
the  old  round  began  again.  Success  would  not  come  at  their  call,  and 
something  must  be  done;  this  time  as  we  shall  see,  it  was  to  be 
something  desperate.  Committees  of  investigation  now  report  their 
belief  that  the  reduction  of  the  course  to  three  years  had  been  a 
mistake.  Dr.  Smith  (they  quote  him  by  name),  it  is  true,  had  laid 
down  a  three  years'  course,  but  he  had  expressly  stated  that  this 
was  but  a  concession  to  circumstances.  Five  years  even  he  would 
have  had,  could  he  have  managed  it.  Four  years  certainly  is  little 
enough  for  the  work  to  be  done ;  other  colleges  have  four  years  and 
succeed;  so  may  we.  It  w<mld  be  well,  too,  to  restore  the  chair  of 
mathematics.  Nor  would  they  stop  here;  there  should  be  a  new  model, 
anew  course:  Greek  and  Latin,  indispensable  foundations  of  all  educa- 
tion, should  be  the  chief  studies  of  the  first  two  years;  mathematics 
(though  not  too  exclusively)  of  the  third ;  mind  and  matter  of  the 
fourth.  Let  any  one  who  will  examine  Dr.  Smith's  course,  and  he  will 
see  where  this  distribution  of  subjects  came  from.  They  then  proceeded 
to  fill  in  the  details ;  but  they  never  reached  a  vote  on  its  adoption.  For, 
after  electing  a  i)rofessor  of  mathematics,  as  had  been  determined,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  no  tinkering  with  the  course  could  do  any 
]>ossible  good,  unless  they  had  first  secured  the  right  men.  To  this 
task  they  addressed  themselves.  There  should  be  no  half  measure. 
A  complete  break  must  be  made  with  the  unfortunate  traditions  they 
had  themselves  been  mainly  responsible  for  creating;  to  this  end  they 
removed  the  whole  faculty  except  the  newly  elected  professor  of  math- 
ematics and  Prof.  Patterson,  who  resigned,  and  to  the  regret  of  the 
Board  declined  a  reelection.  Now  for  the  first  time  is  heard  the  expres- 
sion of  the  truth  that  a  man,  whose  name,  reputation,  experience,  and 
ability  would  command  public  confidence,  must  be  chosen  for  the  posi 
tion  of  Provost.  Their  choice  fell  upon  one  of  their  own  number,  the 
Rev.  William  A.  De  Lancey,  d.  d.,  who  was  elected  professor  of  moral 
philosophy.  But  as  the  chair  of  moral  philosophy  involved  many 
branches  besides  those  which  its  name  would  now  seem  to  imply,  and 
as  it  was  conceived  necessary  in  order  to  clotha  the  office  of  Pro- 
vost with  proper  dignity,  that  he  should  teach  none  but  the  senior 
class,  an  assistaut  professor  of  moral  philosophy  was  appointed  to 
teach  the  lower  classes.  The  faculty,  as  now  constituted,  included  a 
professor  of  moral  philosophy,  who  was  also  Provost,  a  i)rofessor  of 
mathematics,  who  was  also  vice-provost,  a  professor  of  languages,  a 
professor  of  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry  (so  the  title  was  now 
worded),  and  an  assistant  professor  of  moral  philosophy. 


266  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

For  the  new  faculty  a  new  course  was  provided.  The  requirements 
for  admission  were  set  about  to  the  standard  Dr.  Smith  liad  prescribed, 
those  in  aritlunetic  being  slightly  raised.  Mathematics  and  natural  phi- 
losophy were  differently  distributed,  the  former  being  now,  with  mechan- 
ics, spread  over  the  whole  four  years,  and  the  latter  over  the  last  three. 
The  department  of  Moral  Philosophy  still  covered  rhetoric  and  cognate 
subjects,  as  well  as  natural  and  political  law,  history  and  geogxaphy. 
But  i^;  was  in  the  department  of  Languages  that  the  most  striking 
changes  appeared.  A  relic  of  its  old  subservience  to  rhetoric  appears 
at  first  in  the  assignment  of  Cicero's  Orations  to  the  assistant  professor 
of  moral  philosophy  in  the  freshman  year.  That  this,  however,  was 
more  due  to  a  tradition  that  he  was  the  i)roper  i^erson  to  help  the  pro- 
fessor of  languages  than  from  a  clear  sense  of  the  meaning  of  his  services 
in  this  line,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  to  him  was  given  up  also 
till  1831,  the  subject  of  Roman  and  Grecian  antiquities.  From  1831  on, 
the  latter  subject  goes  over  to  the  professor  of  languages,  and  the  ora- 
tions of  Cicero  disappear;  written  translations  from  ancient  authors  in 
the  department  of  Rhetoric  preserve  a  faint  trace  of  the  relation  as  late 
as  1847.  Except  in  these  particulars  the  languages  have  come  to  stand 
upon  their  own  feet,  as  having  a  right  in  themselves  to  a  place  in  the 
college  courses,  instead  of  being  humble  handmaidens  to  moral  and  nat- 
ural philosophy,  and  means  for  learning  the  rules  of  rhetoric.  Such 
works  as  (pseudo)  Longinus,  Horace's  Ars  Poetica,  Cicero  de  OflBciis, 
Epictetus,  continued  to  be  read,  but  at  times  that  loosed  them  from  all 
connection  with  other  studies.  Languages  with  rhetoric  had  furnished 
Dr.  Smith  with  the  means  of  gathering  into  one  and  knitting  firmly 
together  the  strands  of  his  course;  with  the  breaking  looseof  languages 
from  this  close  union,  and  their  starting  into  an  indei)endent  career 
in  the  college  course,  the  first  step  was  made  towards  a  like  independ- 
ence of  all  departments,  which  should  make  each  within  its  sphere  an 
absolute  law  unto  itself,  instead  of  a  unit  in  a  general  plan,  to  the  laws 
of  which  one  and  all  must  humbly  submit.  The  subjects  of  trade  and 
commerce,  of  agriculture  (apparently),  of  Government,  disappeared 
entirely.  The  pubUcation  of  annual  catalogues  appears  to  date  from 
the  year  1828 ;  a  promise  to  this  effect  is  contained  in  an  undated  circu- 
lar (which  a  comi>arison  with  the  records  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
proves  to  have  been  issued  in  1828),  signed  by  the  president  and  secre- 
tary of  tlie  board.  In  1831  appears  the  first  recognition  of  a  depart- 
ment of  English  Literature,  this  being  put  in  charge  of  the  assistant 
professor  of  moral  i)hilosoi)hy.  Readings  in  prose  and  poetry  comprised 
at  first  the  whole  of  his  activity  in  this  direction.  A  steady  dev;Blop 
ment  of  this  subject  dates  from  1835,  when  the  style  of  the  chair  was 
altered  to  rhetoric  and  English  literature;  along  with  this  went  a  large 
progress  in  the  historical  instruction  which  was  confided  to  the  same 
professor. 

In  1841  lectures  on  English  literature,  delivered  to  the  senior  class. 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  2G7 

have  taken  the  place  of  the  readings  in  prose  and  poetry  with  the  fresli- 
men,  and  by  1813  history  has  ceased  to  be  a  summary  reading  given  in 
a  single  year,  and  we  find  in  its  place  ancient  history  in  the  freshman 
year,  modern  history  in  the  sophomore  year,  and  Arnold's  lectures  on 
modern  history  in  the  junior  year,  while  the  senior  year  caps  the  whole 
with  lectures  on  Constitutional  history  and  laws  of  the  United  States.  In 
1853  the  style  of  the  chair  is  again  changed;  now  it  reads  Belles  Lettres 
and  the  English  Language  and  Literature,  as  the  title  shows,  and  an 
examination  of  the  course  confirms  it;  the  English  language,  no  longer  a 
grammatical  study,  nor  even  as  a  vehicle  for  expression,  but  as  a  branch 
of  philology  had  at  last  conquered  a  recognition  it  was  never  to  lose. 
Tlie  enlargement  of  the  chair  in  this  direction  necessitated  a  shifting 
of  some  subjects  (International  Law,  Constitutional  Law  of  tlie  United 
States)  back  to  their  okl  j>lace  under  the  chair  of  Moral  Philosophy, 
Simultaneously  Political  Economy,  (the  modern  correspondent  of  Dr. 
Smith's  Trade  and  Commerce)  made  its  first  appearance.  These  are  the 
most  important  signs  of  progress  towards  "the  new  times  a  coming." 
Little  significance  can  ^be  attaclied  to  the  chair  of  geology  and  miner- 
alogy that  existed  from  1838  to  1845,  but  with  no  perceptible  effect  on 
the  course.  Science  and  philosoi)hy  remained  stationary,  or  nearly  so, 
but  languages  had  made  a  decided  advance  in  tliat  one  modern  language 
with  its  literature,  and  that  the  one  with  the  best  right  on  its  side, 
had  obtained  a  place  in  the  college  course.  It  must  not  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  the  first  break  in  the  more  modern  direction  had  been 
made  in  1828  by  the  de])artment  of  Ancient  Languages;  nor  had  this 
remained  altogether  stationary  since  then.  Till  1844-'45  no  changes 
had  occurred,  except  in  minor  points  of  detail,  but  in  that  year  a  second 
break  was  made  in  the  old  traditions  with  the  advent  of  Prof.  Allen. 
The  last  relics  of  the  rhetorical  character  of  the  original  course  were 
swept  away.  Epictetus  and  the  (pseudo)  Longinus  went  out,  and  hence- 
forth the  course  in  Greek  was  confined  to  the  great  literary  movement 
of  the  classical  period.  No  change  was  made,  because  there  was  no 
similar  reason  for  it  in  the  accomi)anying  Latin  course,  but  those  who 
can  remember  Prof.  Allen  will  not  need  to  be  told  that  under  him  the 
linguistic  and  literary  side  (but  especially  the  latter)  of  the  sfudy  was 
more  and  more  exclusively  emphasized.  Again,  in  1854,  by  the  addi- 
tion of  an  adjunct  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  (to  become  in  1854  pro- 
fessor of  Latin  only)  the  instruction  in  the  two  languages  was  divided, 
so  that  greater  thoroughness  in  teg-ching  was  made  possible,  while  the 
independent  value  of  each  language  as  a  specialty  was  recognized. 
From  the  point  of  view  of  education  there  is  no  essential  difference  be-. 
tween  the  fractioning  up  of  an  old  subject  into  several  new  specialties 
and  the  introduction  of  new  subjects.  Still  less  is  there  any  difference 
between  this  and  similar  divisions  in  the  department  of  Science. 

During  the  whole  history  of  the  University  there  had  been  i)rovision 
made  with  varying  degrees  of  completeness  for  such  as  desired  to  study 


268  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

French,  German,  Italian,  or  Spanish.  Such  study  was  not  required  for 
a  dejjree;  nor  were  the  professors  members  of  the  faculty.  How  far 
the  oft'ers  thus  made  were  accepted,  it  would  be  hard  to  say.  In  1867 
the  first  wave  of  what  has  been  called  the  "new  education"  struck  the 
University.  The  changes  that  were  made  in  consequence  looked  to 
most  jieople  like  a  removing  of  the  old  land -marks,  and  the  setting  up 
of  new.  It  can  hardly  be  maintained  now  that  such  was  the  case; 
there  had  been  distinct,  it  may  have  been  slow,  piogress  for  some  time 
back,  chiefly  in  the  matter  of  language  and  literature.  There  was  now 
to  be  a  sudden  starting  forward,  but  after  all  along  the  same  lines; 
languages  now,  as  before,  were  to  lead,  though  science  was  to  make  its 
first  halting  step  forward.  English  Imd  now  its  place,  but  demanded  a 
larger;  other  modern  langu«ages  were  to  have  official  reception  into  the 
course  for  a  <legree ;  mathematics  was  to  enlarge  its  borders ;  and  Greek 
and  Latin  were  not  to  l)e  forgotten.  A  professor  of  German,  and  an 
assistant  professor  in  the  English  department  were  added  to  the  faculty. 
French,  Spanish,  and  Italian  were  represented,  each  by  an  instructor; 
an  instructor  in  mathematics  was  appointed.  'Two  of  these  were  to 
assist  in  the  departments  of  Latin  and  Greek.  This  addition  of  new 
subjects  to  the  regular  course  in  arts  necessitated  the  introduction  of 
the  nuicli-discussed  but  inevitable,  elective  system.  It  now  came  into 
full-fledged  existence;  but  from  the  first  moment  that  the  compact, 
closely  knit  unit  of  Dr.  Smith's  course  was  broken,  it  had  appeared, 
though  unrecognized,  in  principle:  for  from  that  nu)ment,  the  College 
course  ceased  U)  be  one  and  res<^lved  itself  into  a  certain  luimber  (and 
what  was  to  prevent  enlarging  this  number)  of  chronologically,  but 
only  chronologically,  i>arallel  courses.  From  that  moment,  too,  let  us 
hasten  to  acknowledge  it,  the  danger  began  to  threaten  that  education 
would  disappear  before  the  training  of  si)ecialists.  But  to  enter  on  a  road 
that  leails  to  elective  courses  is  one  thing;  to  reach  them  and  deal  with 
them  wisely  is  another.  All  the  prominent  colleges  of  the  country  have 
been  wrestling  with  this  problem  now  more  than 'twenty  years.  Which 
will  venture  to  say  it  has  successfully  solved  it?  As  inmost  colleges 
in  the  United  States,  the  elections  here  are  confined  to  the  junior  and 
senior  years.  Of  course,  from  the  first  Latin,  (ireek,  and  mathematics 
were  the  stibjects  affected  by  the  introduction  of  elective  courses ;  Eng- 
lish (in  what  may  be  ealled  a  minor  course),  philosophy,  and  certain 
physics  being  required  in  those  years.  The  election  was  made  between 
definite  subjects;  for  instance,  German  or  Spanish  might  be  substituted 
for  (Jreek;  French  or  Italian  for  Latin,  etc.  This  system,  Avith  changes 
in  the  application  of  it  (Spanish  aud  Italian  were  dropped  from  these 
alternatives)  remained  in  vogue  until  1887,  when  the  practice  was  adopted 
of  dividing  the  elective  studies  into  two  groups:  Group  A,  linguistic 
and  literary  in  character ;  and  group  B,  mainly  scientific.  From  group  A 
each  student  is  required  to  choose  two  studies  and  from  group  B,  one. 
There  has  been  but  little  change  in  the  details  of  the  required  subjects 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  269 

either  in  the  first  two  or  the  hist  two  years,  except  that  a  larger  develop- 
ment of  English  and  English  literatnrehas  thrnst  both  French  and  Ger- 
man out  of  the  freshman  and  sophomore  years,  wliere  they  at  first  figured 
as  required  studies  for  the  space  of  a  year  each.  Biit  the  number  and 
variety  of  the  elective  subjects  offered  has  of  late  years  enormously 
increased,  owing  to  the  development  of  the  original  departments,  chiefly 
the  Scientific.  By  successive  additions  to  the  teat^hing  force,  ther  de- 
partment of  Mathematics  has  come  to  be  represented  by  one  professor 
and  two  assistant  professors ;  the  department  of  Natural  Philosophy  by  a 
professor,  an  assistant  professor,  and  an  instructor  in  physics,  two  pro- 
fessors with  assistants  in  chemistry,  professors  of  mineralogy,  of  geo- 
logy, of  paleontology,  of  zoology,  of  vertebrate  morphology,  of  biology, 
of  embryology,  and  two  professors  of  botany;  the  department  of  Eng- 
lish by  a  professor  of  history  and  English  literature  and  a  professor  of 
rhetoric  and  the  English  language  with  an  assistant;  the  department 
of  German  by  a  professor  with  an  instructor  (who  takes  charge  also  of 
Italian) ;  the  department  of  Ancient  Languages  by  a  professor  of  Latin, 
a  professor  and  instructor  in  Greek,  a  professor  of  comparative  philology, 
and  a  professor  of  Hebrew ;  the  department  of  Philosophy  by  a  professor 
of  intellectual  andm(7ral  philosophy  and  by  a  professor  of  experimental 
psychology.  A  formidable  list,  and  one  that  might  more  justly  be 
regarded  as  an  expansion  of  Dr.  Smith's  scheme,  as  originally  proposed, 
than  of  the  somewhat  reduced  form  in  which  it  appeared  after  the 
transformation  of  1828;  an  expansion,  it  is  true,  rendered  possible  by 
the  independence  then  first  given  to  separate  departments.  The  en- 
deavor is  now,  as  it  was  then,  to  include  all  true  knowledge  within  the 
scope  of  the  College  course;  but  the  notion  has  been  abandoned  of  try- 
ing to  cram  it  all  into  one  poor  student's  head.  It  is  easily  seen  that 
with  the  present  arrangement  there  will  be  no  further  necessity  for 
reformation  of  the  whole  course  in  order  to  make  room  for  new  subjects 
that  may  establish  in  the  future'a  just  claini  to  inclusion  within  it,  or 
to  i)rovide  for  necessary  extension  of  subjects  already  included,  when 
special  portions  of  them  rise  to  the  dignity  of  special  dej^artments.  The 
system  is  now  so  elastic  that  suc^h  extensions  will  find  room  waiting  for 
them  without  any  dislocation  of  the  existing  order.  The  only  thing 
that  could  cause  serious  dififu-ulty  in  readjusting  the  course,  would  be  a 
change  in  the  point  at  which  election  is  introduced. 

In  the  'course  as  at  present  constituted,  the  candidate  for  the  degree 
of  A.  B.  in  the  freshman  and  sophomore  years  gets  -  instruction  in 
rhetoric  and  declamation  (theoretically  and  practically);  in  English 
literature  through  lectures  and  themes  upon  topics  connected  with  the 
lectures;  in  Greek  and  Latin,  sufficient  to  give  him  a  good  hold  upon 
those  tongues  for  practical  purposes  or  further  study,  with  work  in 
Greek,  involving  outside  reading  of  standard  manuals  of  antiquities 
and  of  history;  in  universal  history  and  the  Government  of  the  United 
States;  in  mathematics,  including  analytic  grometry  and  astronomy j 


270  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

in  inorganic  cliemistry,  tbrougb  lectures  and  laboratory  work ;  in  ele- 
mentary physics;  in  tlie  junior  and  senior  years  in  English  composition; 
in  pjuglish  literature,  through  lectujes  and  seminary  work;  in  logic, 
ethicSj,  history  of  philosophy  and  psychology;  in  political  economy.  In 
the  first  two  years  there  are  also  lectures  on  hygiene  by  the  director  of 
physical  education.  Besides  these  in  the  junior  and  senior  years  there 
are  thrown  open  to  the  students?  an  exceedingly  wide  and  varied  range 
of  subjects  for  election  r  Greek,  Latin,  Hebrew,  Sanskrit,  Anglo-Saxon, 
Gothic,  German,  French,  Italian,  English  philology,  linguistics,  ad- 
vanced English  composition,  readings  in  English  literature,  history 
(industrial,  sotrial,  political,  and  constitutional  history  of  the  United 
States,  modern  history  since  1789,  jihilosophy  of  history),  advanced 
mathematics,  analj^tic  and  organic  chemistry,  i)ractical  and  mathemat- 
ical i)hysics,  exi)erimental  psychology,  mineralogy,  geology,  and  a  num- 
ber of  courses  in  biology. 

Nothing,  jierhaps,  has  attracted  general  attention  in  our  colleges  of 
late  years  in  greater  measure  than  the  important  i)lace  modern  lan- 
guages have  come  to  occupy  in  their  curricula.  Introduced  at  first  as 
something  that  the  public  at  large  regarded  as  more  "  practically  use- 
ful" than  the  ancient  languages,  and  taught  mainly  with  a  view  to 
reading,  and  as  far  as  possible  speaking,  they  have  come  to  be  treated 
as  languages  to  be  investigated  philologically,  and  as  possessing  liter- 
atures t^  be  studied  historically  and  critically.  An  examination  of 
the  studies  of  the  course,  as  given  above,  will  show  that  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  has  participated  in  this  advance.  By  the  professor 
of  Gerraan  and  the  recently  added  professor  of  Komance  languages 
both  French  and  German  philology  are  taught,  courses  in  Gothic 
and  old  French  being  offered  to  such  as  desire  them;  and  in  both 
languages  (as  Avell  as  in  Italian)  the.  literature  receives  full  attention. 
English,  by  the  addition  of  courses  in  Anglo-Saxon  and  English  phi- 
lology, has  followed  in  the  same  direction.  Students  may  now  not  only 
obtain  large  practical  drill  in  the  use  of  their  mother  tongue,  but  may 
also,  if  they  will,  learn  something  of  its  origin,  its  history,  its  growth, 
and  of  the  linguistic  laws  that  govern  it.  The  large  scope  that  within 
the  last  few  years  has  been  given  to  the  study  of  English  literature, 
;ind  the  method  followed,  which  necessitates  large  and  careful  reading 
of  standard  classics,  insure  to  our  mother  tongue  that  commanding 
pla<'e  in  a  scheme  of  education  whicii  is  unquestionably  her  due.  San- 
skrit sui)plies  the  necessary  stepping  stone  for  the  study  of  compara- 
tive philology,  and  the  course  offered  in  linguistics  gives  as  complete 
an  introduction  to  that  interesting  and  growing  field  of  study  and 
research  as  is  possible  in  Jtn  undergraduate  course.  Hebrew  now  paves 
the  road  for  any  who  desire  to  enter  upon  the  field  of  Semitic  studies. 
In  psychology,  tlie  latest  methods,  the  experimental — so  late  that  there 
are  doubtless  many  cultivated  men  who  have  hardly  heard  of  them, 
and  would  regard  them  as  paradoxical  if  not  self-contradictory — have 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARTS.  271 

been  introduced  under  an  able  investigator  with  a  fully  equipped  labor- 
atory. The  mere  list  just  given  of  separate  titles  is  evidence  enough 
of  the  very  large  development  of  the  course  in  all  branches  of  i^hysical 
science.  It  is  enough,  perhaps,  to  add  that  withii^  the  last  few  years 
the  latest  group  among  the  natural  sciences,  the  biol^gical,  has  been 
added  in  highly  develoi)ed  form.  Pure  mathematics,  the  first  of  the 
sciences  to  enlarge  its  borders,  has  in  the  last  year  largely  increased 
its  offers  of  higher  work  in  its  more  si)ecial  departments. 

But  the  advance  the  University  has  made  is  not  more  marked  in  the 
wider  scope  of  specific  instruction  than  in  the  imi)roved  methods  that 
have  been  introduced  for  the  purposes  of  im[)arting  that  instruction. 
There  were  days  when  lecture  and  text-book  instruction  were  thought 
sufficient,  but  the  Avorld  has  gone  beyond  that  now  (one  is  sorely  tempted 
to  believe  sometimes  that  the  penduluin  has  swung  too  far  and  that  a 
moderate  return  to  former  metliods  may  be  advisable),  and  we  have 
l)rogressed  with  it.  With  the  growing  equipment  of  the  University  in 
laboratories,  museums,  and  library,  it  has  become  possible  to  put  this 
method  into  efficient  practice.  By  experimentation  in  laboratories  and 
independent  looking  up  of  assigned  topics  in  libraries,  the  students  are 
brought  into  close  personal  contact  with  the  subject-matter  of  their 
studies,  are  habituated  to  the  use  of  works  of  reference,  are  exercised 
in  the  gathering  and  (for  them)  discovering  of  new  knowledge,  while 
by  reports  to  be  afterward  made,  either  in  ordinary  class  work  or  more 
formal  seminaries,  they  are  trained  in  the  right  ordering  of  what  they 
have  thus  gathered,  in  the  estimation  of  the  relative  value  and  bear- 
ing of  facts  and  the  interpretation  of  them,  and  in  the  careful  formu- 
lation of  their  results  for  the  information  of  others.  They  acquire  thus 
a  training  of  their  powers  and  a  pi'eparation  for  after  study  that  is  en- 
tirely indei)endent  of  the  educational  value  of  the  studies  themselves — 
a  training  in  metliodical  systematic  work.  If  it  be  our  desire,  as  it  was 
Dr.  Smith's,  that  our  students  should  persevere  after  graduation  and 
find  most  rational  satisfaction  in  "xu'ivate  study  and  meditation,"  there 
could  be  no  better  way  than  by  accustonnng  them  before  graduation  to 
work  of  this  sort  under  i)roper  guidance.  The  day  will  come  when  they 
must  be  guides  unto  themselves,  and  they  should  be  prepared  for  it. 

There  is,  too,  this  further  advantage,  that  this  will  open  their  eyes  to 
the  fact  that  there  are  stores  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  beyond  what 
can  be  given  by  lectures  and  recitations,  will  show  them  some  of  the 
store-houses  where  that  knowledge  is  to  be  found  garnered,  and  will 
set  them  in  the  way,  if  so  be  that  they  desire  it,  of  getting  fuller  infor- 
mation yet  in  this  important  matter.  The  personal  contact  with  the 
subject  that  has  already  been  mentioned  has  a  force  that  is  not  half 
appreciated  in  educating  the  young;  it  is  like  getting  one's  feet  upon 
solid  ground.  To  have  read  carefully  and  thoughtfully  a  single  play  of 
Shakespeare,  to  have  spelled  out  for  one's  self  the  details  of  plot  and 
the  development  of  the  characterj  and  to  have  cast  this  into  definite 


272  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

form  for  others  to  hear  and  understand,  even  if  there  be  nothing  else 
done  either  towards  investigating  the  sources  of  the  story  or  examining 
the  language  of  the  piece,  is  worth  more  as  an  educational  discipline  than 
a  whole  course  of  lectures  on  the  poet,  though  they  should  be  accom- 
panied by  private,  But  cursory  reading  of  all  his  works.  In  the  depart- 
ments of  physical  science  this  is  better  understood;  the  advantage 
that  accrues  to  the  student  from  making  his  own  experiments  and 
gathering  his  oavu  experience  of  the  workings  and  relations  of  forces 
and  substances  hardly  needs  mention;  but  great  as  this  is,  it  is  small 
in  comparison  with  tlie  gain  that  comes  from  this  method  in  the  study 
of  literature. 

Such  is  the  present  equipment  and  such  the  present  method  in  the 
department  of  arts;  in  both  it  may  claim  to  be  abreast  of  the  times. 
Not  that  there  are  no  problenis  yet  to  be  solved — there  are  nu)re,  per- 
haps, than  we  are  awai"e  of,  and  it  is  well  that  there  are,  for  without 
them  there  would  be  no  progress.  The  most  pressing  at  the  present 
moment  is  this;  How  to  reconcile  election  of  knowledge  with  enforce- 
ment of  education. 


Chapter  VIIL 
THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  PAST. 

As  near  as  can  be  determined  from  such  old  records  as  have  come 
down  to  us,  the  first  course  of  lectures  ever  given  upon  anatomy  upon 
the  Continent  of  America  was  delivered  in  175 J  by  Dr.  Thomas  Cadwala- 
der,  in  a  house,  Second  street,  which  faces  Dock  street,  in  Philadel- 
phia. Ten  or  eleven  years  elapsed  before  Dr.  William  Shippen,  jr.,  ad- 
vertised in  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette,  November  25,  1762,  that: 

Dr.  Shippen's  anatomical  lectures  will  begin  to-morrow  evening  at  six  o'clock, 
at  his  father's  house  in  Fourth  street.  Tickets  for  the  course  to  be  had  of  the  Doctor 
at  five  pistoles  each,  and  any  gentlemen  who  incline  to  see  the  subject  prepared  for 
the  lectures,  and  learn  the  art  of  dissecting,  injections,  &.,  are  to  pay  five  pistoles 
more. 

Three  years  later  Dr.  John  Morgan  returned  from  a  five  years'  study 
in  Great  Britain  and  upon  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and  laid  before  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  College  of  Philadelphia  a  plan  for  establishing 
ii  medical  school  under  their  auspices.  The  earnest  appeals  of  Dr.  Mor- 
gan, sustained  as  they  were  by  the  high  testimonials  which  he  had  re- 
ceived in  Europe,  resulted  in  his  election  in  May,  1765,  to  the  first  medical 
professorship  in  America,  namely,  the  chair  of  the  theory  and  pra-ctice  of 
physic.  Tlie  following  September  Dr.  Shipj^en  was  elected  professor  of 
anatomy  and  surgery. 

Lectures  were  given  by  these  professors,  but  it  was  not  until  1767 
that  a  curriculum  was  prepared,  and  the  ''requisites  for  a  bachelor's  de- 
gree in  physic,"^and  the  "qualifications  for  a  doctor's  degree  in  physic," 
to  be  given  by  the  College,  publicly  promulgated. 

The  first  regulations  to  be  found  in  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees in  regard  to  fees  is  in  May,  1768,  when  the  price  of  tickets  for  the 
single  course  it  was  determined  should  not  exceed  "  six  pistoles"  ($50), 
in  addition  to  which  there  was  a  matriculation  fee  of  20  shillings,  and 
each  student  on  taking  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  physic  was  required 
to  pay  a  fee  of  not  less  than  a  guinea  to  each  profes!?or,  and  "  likewise 
the  usual  fees  for  the  seal  of  his  diploma  and  for  the  increase  of  the 
library." 

The  clinical  lectures  at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  delivered  by  Dr. 
Thomas  Bond,  appear  to  have  been  an  integral  portion  of  the  course, 
although  it  is  not  known  that  Dr.  Bond  was  ever  formally  elect<«l  pro- 
1180 18  273 


274  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

fesaor.  In  1768  Dr.  Adam  Kulin  was  added  to  the  faculty  as  the  pro- 
fessor of  materia  medica  aud  botany.  In  June,  1768,  at  the  first  com- 
mencement of  the  College  of  Philadelphia  the  degree  of  bachelor  of 
medicine  was  conferred  upon  ten  candidates,  the  first  group  of  the 
l(),7/>3  physicians  who  up  to  1892  have  been  sent  into  practice  by  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  Universit}^  of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1769  the  renow'ned  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush  became  professor  of  chem- 
istry, and  in  the  season  of  1769-'70  the  announcement  of  the  Medical 
School  was  as  follows: 

Theory  and  practice  of  medicine,  John  Morgan,  M.  D.;  anatomy, 
surgery,  and  midwifery,  William  Shippen,  jr.,  M.  D.;  materia  medica 
and  botany,  Adam  Kuhn,  m.  d.;  chemistry,  Benjamin  Kush,  m.  d.; 
clinical  medicine,  Thomas  Bond,  m.  d. 

Young  in  years  was  this  school  and  young  in  years  were  the  pro- 
fessors, save  Dr.  Thomas  Bond,  who  alone  was  over  50.  Rush  was  24, 
Kuhu  was  28,  Shippen  was  33,  and  Morgan  was  34. 

The  medical  lecturer  in  the  College  of  Philadelphia  appear  to  have 
been  vsteadily  continued,  with  occasional  interruptions  of  individual 
courses,  caused  by  absence  of  professors,  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolution  in  1776;  especially  the  occupation  of  Philadelphia  by 
the  British  in  1777,  caused  them  to  become  very  irregular.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  it  was  alleged  that  some  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  were  disaftected  toward  the  new  Government,  and  by  an  act 
of  legislature  in  1779  the  charter  of  the  College  was  abrogated,  its 
ofiicers  removed,  and  its  property  transferred  t<j  a  new  institution  char- 
tered under  the  name  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  trustees  of  this  new  institution  at  once  attempted  to  organize  a 
new  Medical  Department,  and  requested  the  late  professors  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Philadelphia  to  take  their  respective  chairs.  Of  these  pro- 
fessors, only  Dr.  Shippen  accepted,  and  so  much  difficulty  was  found 
in  obtaining  other  professors  that  the  medical  instruction  was  exceed- 
ingly irregular  and  imperfect,  although  there  was  no  further  interrup- 
tion to  graduation  each  year. 

After  ten  years T)f  agitation,  and  by  the  aid  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 
on  March  6,  1789,  the  friends  of  the  College  of  Philadelphia  succeeded 
in  obtaining  from  the  legislature  a  rei)eal  of  the  act  which  had  deprived 
the 'institution  of  its  charter.  One  week  after  this  the  trustees  rein- 
stated the  medical  faculty,  appointing  the  old  professors,  Shippen, 
Kuhn,  Rush,  and  Morgan. 

There  were  now  in  Philadelphia  two  rival,  antagonistic  medical 
schools ;  the  result  was  so  unsatisfactory  that,  in  1791,  espe(;ially  through 
the  efforts  of  Dr.  Csuspar  Wistar,  an  amicable  adjustment  was  brought 
about  between  the  two  colleges,  and  as  the  result  of  a  petition  from  the 
two  8<diool8,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  consolidating  the  College  of 
Philadelphia  and  the  University  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  one 
institution,  to  be  known  as  the  "  University  of  Pennsylvania  " 


THE    MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT.  275 

The  degree  of  bachelor  of  medicine,  which  had  been  dropped  by  the 
College  after  its  reorganization  in  1789,  was  now  abolished  altogether, 
and  ever  since  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  has  given  only  one  med- 
ical degree,  that  of  ])o(;tor  of  Medicine. 

The  first  faculty  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  was  formally 
constituted  as  folloAvs,  attendance  upon  the  course  of  botany  and 
natural  history,  however,  not  being  necessary  for  graduation:  Ana- 
tomy, snrgery,  and  midwifery,  William  Shippen,  m.  d.,  Caspar  Wistar, 
M.  D.,  adjunct;  theory  and  practice  of  medicine,  Adam  Kuhn,  m.  d.; 
institutes  of  medicine  and  clinical  medicine,  Benjamin  Eush,  m.  d.; 
chemistry,  James  Hutchinson,  m.  d.;  materia  medica  and  pharmacy 
Samuel  P.  Griffltts,  m.  d.  ;  botany  and-  natural  history,  Benj.  Smith 
Barton,  m.  d. 

The  death  of  Dr.  Hutchinson,  in  the  latter  part  of  1793,  was  followed 
by  the  election  of  Dr.  James  Woodhouse,  in  1795,  to  the  chair  of 
chemistry;  and  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Grififitts,  in  1796,  led  to  the  elec- 
tion of  Dr.  Benj.  Smith  Barton  to  the  professorsliip  of  materia  medica. 
After  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Kuhn,  in  1797,  Dr.  Rush  filled  the  duties  of 
the  two  chairs — theory  and  practice  of  medicine,  and  the  institutes 
and  clinical  medicine — until  1805,  when  the  professorships  were  con- 
solidated. In  the  same  year  the  chair  of  surgery  was  created,  and 
filled  by  the  election  of  Dr.  Physick;  and  in  1809  Dr.  John  Bedman 
Coxe  was  chosen  to  fill  the  professorship  of  chemistry,  left  vacant  by 
the  death  of  Dr.  Woodhouse. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  1806  a  petition  from  the  medical  faculty 
of  the  University  was  laid  before  the  legislature  requesting  that  a  law 
be  passed  which  should  prevent  tlie  practice  of  medicine  by  ignorant 
persons  who  had  not  graduated  from  some  university  or  college,  a  peti- 
tion whose  object  was  first  advanced  in  the  jiresent  decade  by  a  law 
regulating  the  practice  of  medicine  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania^ 

For  forty-five  years  after  the  foundation  of  the  Medical  School,  the 
chairs  of  anatomy  and  obstetrics  Avere  united,  but  in  1810  obstetrics 
disenthralled  itself  from  servitude,  although  it  was  distinctly  stated  in 
the  resolutions  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  creating  the  professorship  of 
midwifery  that  it  was  not  necessary  for  students  to  attend  the  lectures 
of  such  chair  in  order  to  obtain  the  degree  of  doctor  of  medicine,  and 
it  was  not  until  1813  that  the  professor  of  midwifery  was  made  a  pro- 
fessor of  the  medical  faculty  and  attendance  upon  his  le<;tures  became 
compulsory.  The  first  professor  of  midwifery  was  Dr.  Thomas  C. 
James,  who  was  elected  in  1810.  In  1834  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
William  P.  Dewees,  who  in  1825  had  been  elected  adjunct  professor 
of  obstetrics.  In  1835  Dr.  Hugh  L.  Hodge  took  the  chair,  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  1863  by  Dr.  R.  A.  F.  Penrose,  whose  resignation,  in  1888, 
was  followed  by  the  appointment  of  two  assistant  professors,  Drs. 
Howard  A.  Kelly  and  Barton  Cooke  Hirst,  of  whom  Dr.  Kelly  resigned 
the  following  year  and  Dr,  Hirst  was  raised  to  the  full  professorship. 


276  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  chair  of  practice  of  medicine  was  filled  by  Dr.  Barton  from  1813 
to  1816,  when  Dr.  Nathaniel  Chapman  took  the  position,  which  he  held 
until  1850,  when  Dr.  George  B.  Wood  was  transferred  to  it,  to  be  suc- 
ceeded in  1860  by  Dr.  William  Pepper.  In  1864  Dr.  Pepper  was  forced 
by  ill  health  to  retire,  and  Dr.  Alfred  Still6  was  elected,  to  be  followed 
in  1884  by  the  present  incumbent,  the  younger  Dr.  William  Pepper. 

The  chair  of  materia  medica  was  filled  from  1813  to  1816  by  Dr.  Na- 
thaniel Chapman;  from  1816  to  1818  by  Dr.  John  Syng  Dorsey;  from 
July,  1818,  to  1835  by  Dr.  Coxe;  from  1835  to  1850  by  Dr.  George  B. 
Wood;  from  1850  to  1876  by  Dr.  Joseph  Carson,  who  was  followed  by 
the  present  incumbent,  Dr.  Horatio  C.  Wood. 

In  1818  Dr.  Coxe  was  succeeded  in  the  chair  of  chemistry  by  Dr. 
Robert  Hare,  whose  resignation  in  1847  was  followed  by  the  election  of 
Dr.  James  B.  Rogers.  After  his  deaths  in  1852,  his  brother,  Dr.  Robert 
E.  Rogers,  was  chosen.  He  filled  the  chair  until  1877,  in  which  year 
the  present  incumbent,  Dr.  Theodore  G.  Womiley,  was  elected. 

In  1818,  at  the  death  of  Dr.  Wistar,  the  chair  of  anatomy  was  filled 
by  the  election  of  Dr.  John  Syng  Dorsey,  who  died  suddenly  the  same 
year.  After  performing  the  duties  temporarily.  Dr.  Physick  was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  accept  the  professorship  in  1819.  In  1831  Dr.  Physick 
resigned  his  active  connection  with  the  school,  and  the  chair  was  con- 
ferred on  Dr.  William  Homer,  who  had  been  adjunct  professor  of  anat- 
omy, and  at  whose  death,  in  1853,  Dr.  Joseph  Leidy,  was  elected.  Dr. 
Leidy  died  in  1891 ,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  incumbent.  Dr. 
George  A.  Piersol. 

After  the  vacation  of  the  chair  of  surgery  in  1819  by  Dr.  Physick, 
it  was  filled  by  Dr.  William  Gibson,  who  was  succeeded  in  1855  by  Dr. 
Henry  H.  Smith,  after  whose  resignation  in  1871  Dr.  D.  Hayes  Agnew 
was  elected,  to  be  succeeded  in  1889  by  the  present  incumbent,  Dr.  John 
Ashhurst,  Jr. 

In  1835  the  chair  of  the  institutes  of  medicine,  which  in  1805  had 
been  united  with  the  chair  of  practice,  both  to  be  filled  by  Dr.  Rush, 
was  separated  from  it,  and  the  professorship  was  given  to  Dr.  Samuel 
Jackson,  who  resigned  in  1863,  to  be  succeeded  by  Dr.  Francis  Gurney 
Smith.  After  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Smith,  in  1877,  the  chair  remained 
vacant  until  1878,  when  Dr.  Harrison  Allen  was  elected  to  it.  In  1885 
Prof.  Allen  resigned,  but  the  present  incumbent.  Dr.  Edward  T. 
Reichert,  was  not  elected  until  1886.  He,  however,  delivered  the  course 
for  1885-'86  before  his  election  to  the  chair. 

In  1873  the  faculty  of  medicine  was  enlarged  by  the  election  of  the 
chairs  of  clinical  medicine,  clinical  surgery,  gynaecology  and  pathology, 
and  morbid  anatomy.  The  chair  of  clinical  medicine  was  filled  until 
1884  by  Dr.  William  Pepper,  and  from  1884  to  1889  by  Dr.  William 
Osier,  who  was  succeeded  the  same  year  by  Dr.  James  Tyson.  The 
first  professor  of  clinical  surgery  was  Dr.  John  Ashhurst,  Jr.,  who  was 
succeeded  in  1889  by  Dr.  J.  William  White.    The  chair  of  pathology 


THE    MEDICAL    DEPARTMENT.  277 

and  morbid  anatomy  was  filled  from  its  foundation  until  1889  by  Dr. 
James  Tyson,  who  was  succeeded  the  same  year  by  Dr.  John  Guiteras. 
Dr.  William  Goodell,  the  first  professor  of  gynajcology,  is  still  in  active 
service. 

The  first  lectures  of  Dr.  Shippen  on  anatomy  appear  to  have  been 
given  in  the  rear  of  his  father's  residence,  on  Fourth  street,  above 
Market,  in  apartments  which  he  had  himself  evidently  fitted  up  for  the 
purpose,  whilst  the  other  medical  lectures  in  the  College  of  Philadel- 
phia were  delivered  in  the  old  Academy  building,  on  Fourth,  near 
Ai-ch.  The  tirst  building  especially  arranged  for  the  use  of  the  medi- 
cal professors  of  the  College  of  Philadelphia  was  situated  on  Fifth 
street,  below  Library,  and  was  known  as  the  Surgeons'  Hall,  or  as  Ana- 
tomical Hall.  It  is  probable  that  the  University  of  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania occupied  this  hall  after  the  first  suspension  of  the  College  of 
Philadelphia,  but  at  the  resumption  of  active  life  by  the  College  in 
1789,  the  University  moved  into  the  building  of  the  Philosophical  So- 
ciety, on  Fifth,  below  Chestnut.  The  University  of  Pennsylvania,  after 
the  consolidation  of  the  two  original  institutions,  appears  to  have  made 
use  of  the  Anatomical  Hall  until  1800,  when  the  trustees  became  pos- 
sessed, by  purchase,  of  the  edifice  that  had  been  built  by  the  State  of 
Penns.ylvania  for  the  accommodation  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  at  Ninth  and  Chestnut  streets.  In  1807  new  apartments,  in  an 
addition  to  the  original  building,  were  provided  for  the  medical  faculty. 
These  apartments  were  enlarged  in  1817,  and  in  1829  were  superseded 
by  the  Medical  Hall,  in  which  the  medical  teaching  of  the  institution 
was  given  until  July,  1873,  after  which  time  a  building  in  Ninth  street, 
below  Walnut,  was  occupied  until  the  completion  in  September,  1874, 
of  the  present  medical  buildings  in  West  Philadelphia. 

THE  PRESENT. 
BUILDINGS  AND   APPUANCES.*  -; 

The  instruction  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  is  conducted  in  the  Medical  Hall,  Laboratory  Bnilding, 
the  Hospital  of  the  University,  the  Laboratory  of  Hygiene,  and  the 
Wistar  Institute  of  Biology  and  Anatomy.  The  Medical  Hall  con- 
tains three  lecture  rooms,  the  Wistar  and  Horner  Museum,  the  His- 
tological, Osteo-Syndesmological,  Physiological,  Pathological,  and  Phar- 
maceutical laboratories ;  besides  an  assembly  room  for  the  students  and 
private  rooms  for  the  professors.  The  laboratory  building  has  its  lower 
floor  occupied  by  the  Clinic  of  Dentistry,  and  its  upper  three  floors  by 
the  two  Chemical  Laboratories,  and  the  Dissecting  Room.  All  of  the 
lecture  rooms  and  laboratories  are  heated  by  steam,  and  are  thoroughly 
ventilated  by  currents  of  air  forced  into  the  rooms  in  such  a  way  as  to 
avoid  drafts.    They  are  also  brilliantly  lighted  by  electricity. 

In  all  of  the  laboratories,  whether  contained  in  the  Medical  Hall  or 


278  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

in  the  Laboratory  Buildiuji-,  especial  ennouragcement  and  facilities  are 
afforded  for  original  resean^h,  and  for  such  i)arpose  the  laboratories  are 
ke])t  open  during  the  whole  year,  except  some  of  them  which  are  closed 
during  the  months  of  July  and  August. 

The  Wistar  and  Horner  Museum,  founded  nearly  one  hundred  yefirs 
ago,  is  believed  to  be  the  largest  and  richest  of  the  kind  in  the  United 
States,  containing  not  only  a  very  large  number  and  a  great  variety  of 
si)ecimeus  illustrating  the  normal  and  morbid  anatomy  of  every  i)art  of 
the  human  bodj-,  but  also  a  large  number  of  preparations  in  comparative 
anatomy,  and  a  very  extensive  collection  of  drawings  and  of  models  in 
wood,  papier-mache,  composition,  glass,  etc.  At  present  the  Wistar  and 
Horner  Museum  occupies  a  large  room  in  the  Medical  Hall,  but  through 
the  generosity  of  Gen.  Isaac  J.  Wistar,  the  Wistar  Institute  of  Biology 
and  Anatomy  is  being  erected  in  immediately  opposite  to  the  Medical 
Hall ;  in  it  the  Wistar  and  Horner  Museum  is  to  be  kept  and  every 
facility  is  to  be  provided  for  original  research.  The  noble  building  is 
rapidly  approaching  completion  and  an  endowment  fund  yielding  $6,000 
l)er  annum  has  also  been  provided  by  Gen.  Wistar.  The  formal  open- 
ing of  this  great  museum  will  occur  in  October,  1893. 

The  Histological  Laboratory  is  furnished  with  numerous  microscopes 
of  good  quality,  and  all  apparatus  necessary  to  enable  the  first  course 
student  to  become  practically  familiar  with  the  most  approved  methods 
of  microscopical  technique,  as  well  as  with  the  normal  histology  of 
all  the  tissues  and  organs.  During  the  spring  months  it  is  ojien  for 
those  who  desire  a  course  embracing  those  refinements  and  minutiae 
which  of  necessity  are  omitted  in  the  regular  winter's  work. 

The  Osteo-Syndesmological  Laboratorj'  is  devoted  to  the  practical 
study  of  the  bones  and  their  articulations. 

The  Physiological  Laboratory  is  furnished  with  a  large  variety  of 
apparatus  for  use  in  practical  physiology.  It  is  in  active  oi)eratiou 
during  ten  months  of  the  year,  so  that  every  facility  is  afforded  ad- 
vanced students  and  graduates  who  desire  to  make  special  studies  and 
researches  under  the  professor  of  physiology. 

The  Pathological  Laboratory  is  well  supplied  with  microscopes  aiul  all 
appliances  required  for  practical  study  and  original  research.  It  has 
also  a  complete  outfit  for  the  study  of  bacteria  and  of  infectious  dis- 
eases. Each  student  f>f  the  second  year  is  provided  with  a  separate 
table  and  microsco])e,  with  material  and  reagents,  and  receives  personal 
insfrtu-tion  in  i)athological  histology,  in  mycology,  and  iu  the  micro- 
scopy of  urine.  Each  student  of  the  third  year  receives 'advanced 
practical  instruction  in  morbid  anatomy  and  the  making  of  autopsies. 
Weekly  deinonstraticms  of  the  gross  appearance  of  specimens,  embrac- 
ing all  known  morbid  products,  mostly  in  fresh  c(mdition,  together  with 
the  microscopic  sections,  are  features  of  this  course. 

The  practical  work  during  the  regular  Annter  session  is  obligatory  on 
students  of  both  second  and  third  year.     Snecial  instruction  and  guid 


THE   MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT.  279 

ance  in  original  research  are  giveu  by  the  demonstrators  to  advanced 
stndents. 

The  Pharmaceutical  Laboratory  is  used  exclusively  for  the  teaching  of 
practical  pharmacy,  for  which  purpose  it  is  furnished  with  all  necessary 
apparatus. 

The  Laboratory  of  Experimental  Therapeutics  is  chiefly  devoted  to 
original  research,  but  instruction  is  also  given  by  the  demonstrator  to 
students  who  desire  special  courses. 

The  chemical  laboratories  are  two  in  number.  Each  room  is  140  feet 
in  length  by  40  feet  in  width.  The  lower  room,  is  given  ux)  to  students 
of  the  lirst  year,  who  devote  in  it  three  hours  each  week  to  the  study  of 
(pialitative  analysis.  The  course  includes  chemical  manipulations  and 
the  detailed  study  of, the  chemical  reactions  of  the  principal  metals, 
acids,  and  their  combinations,  with  the  general  principles  of  qualitative 
analysis,  especially  as  they  relate  to  the  detection  and  separation  ot 
metals  and  compounds  of  importance  to  the  physician.  Each  student 
is  provided  with  a  separate  table  and  apparatus,  and  is  required  to  ex- 
hibit by  formulfe,  on  paper,  all  reactions  involved  in  his  tests.  In  the 
ui)per  laboratory,  students  of  the  second  year  spend  three  hours  per 
week.  The  course  embraces  an  introduction  to  the  general  principles 
of  (quantitative  analysis  and  the  principles  of  volumetric  analysis,  with 
the  practical  examination  of  uriiie  and  animal  fluids,  and  the  recogni- 
tion and  recovery  of  poisons  from  the  animal  body,  and  complex  mix- 
tures. 

The  Anatomical  Laboratory  or  dissecting  room,  upon  the  upper  floor 
of  the  laboratory  building,  is  140  feet  by  40  feet,  and  is  perfectly  lighted 
and  ventilated.  The  tables  have  stone  tops,  the  floor  is  made  of  as- 
phalt, and  the  washstands  and  water  supply  are  abundant.  Great  care 
is  given,  not  only  to  cleanliness,  but  also  to  the  preservation  of  the 
cadaver,  so  that  the  room  is  practically  without  odor,  and  the  danger 
to  the  health  from  dissecting  wounds  is  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

In  the  Laboratory  of  Hygiene  practical  instruction  is  given  in  the 
analysis  of  food-stuff's,  drinking-water,  and  milk,  and  the  investigation 
of  adulterations  or  deteriorations  of  the  same;  in  the  determination 
of  the  hygros<'opic  and  thermo-absorbent  properties  of  the  various  sub- 
stances used  for  clothing;  in  the  examination  of  decorative  materials 
for  poisons;  in  the  solution  of  problems  in  sanitary  engineering,  plumb- 
ing, ventilation,  etc. ;  and  in  practical  and  experimental  bacteriology, 
disinfection,  and  prevention  of  disease. 

In  the  laboratory  of  Practical  Surgery  the  application  of  bandages 
is  taught  to  students  in  their  first  year;  whilst  the  use  of  fracture 
dressings  and  surgical  operations  on  the  cadaver  form  the  instruction 
to  students  in  third  year. 

The  corps  of  teachers  in  the  Medical  Department  consists  of  the 
Medical  Faculty  proper,  and  a  large  staft'  of  other  professors,  lecturers, 
and  demonstrators,  besides  various  assistants  in  the  Hospital. 


280  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

For  many  years  past  the  course  of  medicine  in  tlie  University  of 
Pennsylvania  lias  extended  over  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  period 
the  dejjree  has  been  conferred  upon  successful  candidates.  In  1893, 
the  course  is  to  be  extended  over  four  years,  the  whole  i)eriod  being 
occupied  by  a  graded  instruction,  and  four  years  of  study  being  required 
of  the  students. 

Each  academic  year  consists  of  a  session,  beginning  the  1st  day  of 
October  and  lasting  until  early  in  June. 

The  tirst  year  is  largely  occupied  with  work  in  the  various  labora- 
tories of  chemistry,  pharmacy,  osteology,  histology,  and  in  dissection. 
The  tirstyear  student  may  also  attend  clinical  lectures  in  general  med- 
icine and  general  surgery.  In  the  second  year,  in  addition  to  didactic 
and  clinical  teaching,  practical  instruction  is  given  in  medical  chem- 
istry, pathological  histology,  and  physical  diagnosis.  Dissection  is  con- 
tinued. Throughout  the  third  and  fourth  years  the  student  is  required 
to  attend  the  geueral  medical  and  surgical  clinics  at  the  University  and 
Phi]adeli)hia  hosi)itals  and  the  clinics  in  special  dei)artments  at  the 
former.  Special  bedside  instruction  in  clinical  medicine,  inclnding 
phy«cal  diagnosis  and  laryngology,  in  surgery,  and  in  gynecology,  is 
given  in  the  third  year,  as  are  also  opportunities  for  the  practical  study 
of  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  throat,  and  skin,  and  for  acquiring  proti- 
ciency  with  the  various  instruments  emploj'^ed.  For  this  purpose  the 
third  and  fourth  year  classes  are  divided  into  sections,  each  of  which 
receives  direct  personal  instruction. 

The  course  of  instruction  is  so  arranged  as  to  permit  mainl.y  constant 
introduction  of  new  material  while  retaining  the  repetition  of  essential 
subjects  aimed  at  by  the  old  methods.  The  laboratory  instruction  is  so 
coiirdinated  with  the  oral  teaching  as  to  illustrate  the  subjects  of  the 
lectures.  Advanced  students  are  encouraged  to  make  original  re- 
searches in  the  laboratories  of  pharmacy,  chemistry,  physiology,  pa- 
thology, and  experimental  therapeutics. 

The  geueral  details  of  the  plan  of  instruction  of  the  four  years'  course 
are  as  follows : 

First  year. — General  Chemistry,  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmacy,  His- 
tology, Osteology,  Anatomy,  Physiology,  Bacteriology,  Medical  History 
and  Terminology,  Physical  Diagnosis,  Bandaging,  General  Clinics  (Med- 
i<'al  and  Surgical). 

Second  year.— Medical  Chemistry,  Anatomy,  Applied  Anatomy, 
IMiysiology,  Pathology,  Physical  Diagnosis,  Therapeutics,  Surgery, 
Obstetrics,  (ieneral  IModical  and  Surgical  Clinics. 

Third  y€ar.—A\)\}\w{[  Anatomy,  Pathology,  Therapeutics,  Surgery, 
Ward  Classes  in  Surgery,  Minor  Surgery  and  Fracture  Dressings, 
Obstetrics,  Practice  of  Medicine,  WardClassesin  Medicine,  Gynecology, 
Ophthalmology,  Dermatology,  Otology,  Laryngology  (Throat  and  Nose), 
General  Clinics,  Medical  and  Surgical, including  Philadelphia  Hospital; 
Special  Clinics:  Nervous  Diseases,  Dermatology,  Ophthalmology,  Otol- 
ogy, Gynecology,  Genito-Urinary  Diseases. 


s  ■ 

) 


THE    MEDICAL    DEPARTMENT.  281 

Fourth  year. — Hygiene,  Piactice  of  Mediciue,  Operative  Surgery, 
OrthopfEflic  Surgery,  Operative  Obstetrics,  Gynajcology,  Autopsies, 
General  Medical  and  Surgical  Clinics  at  University  and  Philadelphia 
Hospitals;  Special  Clinics:  Ear,  Eye,  Diseases  of  Women,  Nervous 
Diseases,  Diseases  of  Children  and  Geuito-Urinary  Diseases;  Ward 
Classes  in  Nervous  Diseases,  Diseases  of  the  Eye,  Ear  aud  Skin ;  Med- 
icine, Surgery,  Gynecology. 

GRADUATION. 

At  the  close  of  the  fourth  year  a  studeut  who  has  satisfactorily  passed 
all  the  required  examinations  receives  the  degree  of  doctor  of  medicine 
on  the  following  conditions: 

I.  He  must  be  21  years  of  age  and  of  good  moral  character. 

II.  He  must  have  passed  a  satisfactory  examination  in  all  the  branches 
of  the  curriculum,  must  have  attended  the  i)ractical  instruction  in  all 
departments,  and  his  last  course  of  instruction  must  have  been  at  this 
school.  (A  thesis  is  no  longer  required,  but  students  are  recommended 
to  prepare  theses  in  competition  for  the  various  prizes.) 

III.  He  must  have  attended  at  least  one  case  of  obstetrics.  • 

IV.  After  notice  of  having  successfully  passed  the  final  examination, 
he  must  enter  his  name  on  the  register  of  candidates  for  the  degree. 

V.  He  must  be  present  at  the  commencement,  unless  excused  by  the 
dean  of  the  faculty. 


Chapter  IX. 
THE  LAW  DEPARTMENT. 


Ill  1790  a  professorship  of  law  was  established  in  the  college  depart- 
ment. Mr.  Justice  Wilson,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
having  been  elected  the  professor,  delivered  his  introductory  lecture 
oil  December  15  of  that  year,  "in  the  quaint  old  fashioned  hall  of  the 
Academy,"  in  the  presencaof  President  Washington  and  his  Cabinet, 
the  Houses  of  C(mgress,  the  Executive  and  Legislative  Departments 
of  the  government  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia,  the  Judges  of  the  Courts,  the  members  of  the  Bar,  and  last, 
but  not  least,  Mrs.  Washington,  Mrs.  Hamilton,  and  many  other  ladies. 
But  Mr.  Justi(;e  Wilson's  course  of  lectures,  though  commenced  under 
such  brilliant  auspices,  does  not  seem  to  have  progressed  beyond  its 
first  year.'  Ko  further  effort  seems  to  have  been  made  before  1817  to 
give  instruction  in  law  to  the  students  of  the  University.  On  March 
20,  of  that  year,  Charles  Willing  Hare,  esq.,  of  the  Philadelphia  bar, 
was  elected  Professor  of  Law,  and  delivered  his  introductory  lecture  in 
the  following  month.  But  he,  like  Mr.  Justice  Wilson,  lectured  for  but 
one  year.  The  subject  of  instruction  in  the  law  was  again  permitted 
to  pass  into  oblivion,  until,  on  A])ril  2,  1850,  the  Hon.  George  Shars- 
wood,  then  president  judge  of  the  district  court  of  Philadelphia,  was 
elected  professor  of  law ;  and  on  September  30,  of  that  year,  he  de- 
livered his  introductory  lecture.  On  May  4,  1852,  the  trustees  of  the 
University  established  a  faculty  of  law,  and  appointed  Judge  Sbars- 
wood  professor  of  international,  constitutional,  commercial,  and  civil 
law;  Peter  McCaJl,  esq.,  professor  of  practice,  pleading,  and  evidence 
at  law  and  in  equity;  and  P3.  Spencer  Miller,  esq.,  professor  of  the 
law  of  real  estate,  conveyancing,  and  ecpiity  jurisprudence.  From  that 
day  down  to  the  present  time  the  law  school  has  beeii  in  activ^e  opera- 
tion. Professor  McC-all  having  resigned  on  June  5, 1860,  P.  Pemberton 
Morris,  esq..,  was,  in  November,  1802,  chosen  as  his  successor.  In  1808, 
Judge  Sharswood,  having  been  promoted  to  the  bench  of  the  supreme 
court  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Hon.  J.  I.  Clark  Hare,  his  successor  as 
president  judge  of  the  district  court  of  Philadelphia  (now  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  No.  2),  was  also  appointed  his  successor  in  the  faculty 

'  Historical  sketch  of  the  Department  of  Law  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  Hampton  L.  Carson,  esq. 

283 


284  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

of  the  law  school.  Professor  Miller  having  resigned  his  professorship 
in  1872,  E.  Ooppee  Mitchell,  esq.,  was,  in  1873,  elected  to  the  chair  of 
real  estate  and  equity  jurisprudence.  In  February,  1874,  James  Par- 
sons, esq.,  was  elected  professor  of  the  law  of  personal  relations  and 
personal  property.  Professor  Morris  having  resigned  in  1880,  George 
Tucker  Bisphara,  esq.,  was  elected  the  professor  of  equity  pleading 
and  practice.  Professor  Mitchell  having  died  in  1887,  C.  Stuart  Pat- 
terson, esq.,  was  elected  professor  of  real  estate  and  conveyancing, 
and  A.  Sydney  Biddle,  esq.,  was  elected  professor  of  practice,  pleading, 
and  evidence  at  law  and  criminal  \^w.  To  the  great  loss  of  the  school, 
and  to  the  great  regret  of  his  colleagues  and  of  all  who  have  ever  had 
the  benefit  of  his  instruction  in  the  law,  Judge  Hare  in  the  spring  of 
1889  resigned  his  professorship,  but,  fortunately  for  the  administration 
of  justice,  he  remains  upon  the  bench  of  the  court  of  common  pleas 
over  which  he  has  presided  since  1868.  In  May,  1889,  Samuel  S.  Hol- 
lingsworth,  esq.,  was  elected  professor  of  the  law  .of  contracts,  corpo- 
rations, and  pleading  at  law,  and  George  S.  Graham,  esq.,  the  district 
attorney  of  Philadelphia,  was  elected  professor  of  criminal  law.  In 
April,  1891,  Professor  Biddle  died.  Hon.  George  M.  Dallas,  now 
a  judge  of  the  circuit  court  of  the  United  States,  was  elected  as  his 
successor.  In  addition  to  the  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  faculty, 
changes  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  in  the  division  and 
arrangement  of  the  subjects  of  instruction  in  the  school;  and  at  the 
present  time  the  titles  of  the  several  chairs  in  the  Faculty  are  as  follows : 

1.  A  professorship  of  commercial  law,  contracts,  and  decedents'  es- 
tates. 

2.  A  professorship  of  equity  jurisprudence,  including  the  principles 
of  and  pleading  in  equity  and  orphans'  court  practice. 

3.  A  professorship  of  constitutional  law  and  the  law  of  real  property 
and  conveyancing. 

4.  A  professorship  of  the  law  of  torts,  evidence,  and  practice  at  law. 

5.  A  professorship  of  the  law  of  contracts,  corporations,  and  pleading 
at  law. 

6.  A  professorship  of  criminal  law. 

The  present  prosperity  of  the  school  is  due  to  the  intelligent  and  self- 
sacrificing  labors  of  those  who  have  heretofore  been  its  professors  and 
those  who  were  associated  with  them.  It  is  fitting,  therefore,  that  those 
who  have  succeeded  them  should  gratefully  record  their  appreciation 
of  the  virtues  and  abilities  of  their  predecessors. 

(Jeorge  Sharswood,  the  first  of  the  professors,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia on  July  7,  1810.  He  was  graduated  from  the  University  in  1828. 
Having  studied  law  with  Hon.  Joseph  R.  Ingersoll,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  on  September  5,  1831.  On  April  18,  1845,  he  was  raised  to  the 
bench  of  the  district  court  of  Philadelphia.  In  1 848  he  became  by  senior 
ity  the  presiding  judge  of  that  court.  In  1868  he  was  elected  an  asso- 
ciate justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Pennsylvania,  and  on  January  1, 


THE    LAW    DEPARTMENT.  285 

1880,  he  became  the  (5hief  justice  of  the  State.  On  January  1,  1883, 
he  retired  from  the  bench;  and  he  died  in  May,  1883.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  remind  students  of  the  law  or  lawyers  of  his  Lectures  Introductory 
to  the  Study  of  Law,  of  his  essay  upon  "  Professional  ethics,"  or  of  his 
annotations  of  Blackstone,  of  Starkie  on  Evidence,  or  of  Byles  on 
Bills. 

Peter  McCall,  the  second  of  the  professors  in  the  order  of  seniority 
was  born  in  New  Jersey  on  August  31,  1809.  Having  been  graduated 
at  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  he  came  to  the  Philadelphia  bar  on  No- 
vember 1,  1830.  He  died  on  November  2,1880.  He  was  for  many  years 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Philadelphia  bar.  Profoundly  learned  in  the 
law,  he  was,  in  his  intercourse  with  all  who  were  brought  into  contact 
with  him,  a  model  of  courtesy. 

E.  Spencer  Miller  was  born  in  1818.  He  was  graduated  at  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey.  After  some  years  of  practice  in  Maryland  and 
afterwards  in  New  Jersey,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Philadelphia  bar 
on  May  6,  1843.  From  then  until  the  day  of  his  sudden  death,  March 
6,  1879,  he  was  engaged  in  active  practice.  He  was  a  clear  and  ac- 
curate thinker,  untiring  in  energy,  and  a  very  forcible  speaker.  Pro- 
fessor Mitchell  characterized  him  as  the  most  successful  lecturer  that 
the  bar  of  Philadelphia  has  ever  produced. 

P.  Pemberton  Morris  was  born  in  Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1816.  He  was  graduated  at  Georgetown  College.  He  studied  the  law 
in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Job  R.  Tyson,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of 
Philadelphia  on  February  8,  1840.  In  1849  he  published  a  learned 
treatise  on  "  The  law  of  replevin,"  which  has  ever  since  been  regarded 
as  of  high  authority.  In  1856,  he  annotated  Mr.  Smith's  work  on  the 
Law  of  Landlord  and  Tenant.  He  was  for  many  years  engaged  in 
active  practice,  mainly  on  the  equity  side  of  the  courts,  and  those  who 
were  so  fortunate  as  to  be  his  clients  always  found  in  him  a  sound  and 
judicious  adviser. 

Edward  Coppee  Mitchell  was  born  in  Savannah,  on  the  24th  of  July, 
1836.  He  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1855 
and  came  to  the  bar  in  1858.     He  died  in  1887. 

He,  upon  whose  weaker  shoulders  the  University  has  laid  the  burden 
of  succeeding  Professor  Mit<;hell  in  the  Chair  of  Real  Estate  Law,  may 
say  that  every  day  which  he  has  spent  in  the  performance  of  bis  duty 
as  a  professor  has  caused  him  more  and  more  to  appreciate  the  high 
character  of  his  predecessor's  work,  and  to  realize  that  Professor  Mitch- 
ell's itn timely  death  has  been  an  irreparable  loss  to  the  University 
and  to  the  cause  of  legal  education. 

Algernon  Sydney  Biddle,  a  son  of  George  W.  Biddle,  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  Philadelphia  bar,  was  born  at  Philadeli)hia  11th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1847.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1868  with  high 
honor  and  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Philadelphia  on  27th  of  January, 
1872.    He  rose  rapidly  in  his  profession.    He  died  at  Philadelphia  on 


286  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

8tli  of  April,  1891.  His  learning  in  the  law  and  his  enthusiasm  in 
teaching  were  remarkable,  and  in  his  too  brief  career  he  rendered  great 
services  to  the  University. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  a  school  which  numbered  among  its  teachers 
such  men  as  Chief  Justice  Sharswood,  Judge  Hare,  Mr.  McCall,  Mr. 
Miller,  Mr.  Morris,  Mr.  Mitchell,  and  Mr.  Biddle,  and  those  who  were  as- 
sociated with  them,  gave  thorough  instruction  in  the  law.  But  those  pro- 
fessors, in  the  i)erformance  of  their  duties,  labored  under  disadvantages 
which  have  happily  been  removed  from  the  paths  of  their  successors. 
The  course  was  in  their  time  limited  to  two  years,  each  year  including 
two  terms  of  four  months  each,  with  an  aggregate  of  ten  hours  of  instruc- 
tion each  week.  Now  the  course  has  been  extended  to  three  years, 
with  a  minimum  of  twenty  hours  of  instruction  in  each  week.  Formerly 
the  lectures  and  examinations  have  been  conducted  at  the  University 
buildings  in  West  Philadelphia,  at  a  distance  from  the  homes  of  the 
students  and  from  the  offices  of  their  x)receptors.  Now,  the  Law  School 
has  obtained  commodious  (quarters  in  the  building  of  the  Girard  Trust 
Company,  at  Broad  and  Chestnut  streets,  in  the  business  center  of  the 
city  and  in  convenient  proximity  to  the  homes  of  the  students,  the 
offices  of  their  preceptors,  and  the  courts.  The  sixth  floor  of  that 
building  is  occupied  by  the  lecture  rooms,  library,  and  the  offices  of 
the  executive  department  of  the  school.  Formerly  the  law  school  had 
not  a  library  appropriated  to  the  use  of  its  students,  but  now,  by  the 
liberality  of  the  family  of  the  late  George  Biddle,  esq.,  a  library,  con- 
taining complete  sets  of  the  English  Reports,  the  Federal  Eeports,  and 
the  reports  of  the  courts  of  last  resort  of  the  several  States,  has  been 
presented  to  the  University  as  a  meinorial  of  that  distinguished  law- 
yer, and  this  librai^  is  yearly  receiving  substantial  additions.  The 
curriculum  of  the  school  now  includes  thorough  instruction  in  the  fol- 
lowing topics  of  the  law :  Constitutional  Law,  Equity  Jurisprudence, 
Contracts,  Baihnents,  Corporations,  Carriers,  Real  and  Personal  Prop- 
erty, and  Conveyancing,  Wills  and  Administration,  Torts,  Practice, 
Pleading  and  Evidence  at  Law  and  in  Equity,  and  Criminal  Law.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  before  long  arrangements  will  be  completed  for 
courses  of  lectures  to  be  delivered  by  competent  instructors  in  Inter- 
national Law,  Admiralty,  Patents  and  Copyrights,  and  Medical  Juris- 
prudence. 

The  requisites  of  admission  to  the  school  are — 

1.  A  satisfactory  degree  as  Bachelor  of  Arts  or  Bachelor  of  Sciences; 
or, 

2.  A  certificate  of  preliminary  examination  from  the  board  of  exam- 
iners of  the  bar  of  Philadelphia;  or, 

3.  A  certificate  from  two  or  more  examiners  appointed  by  the  Fac- 
ulty of  Law,  setting  forth  that  the  student  has  passed  a  satisfactory 
examination  in  English  and  American  history,  the  Latin  language,  and 
the  first  two  books  of  Blackstone's  Commentaries. 


n  ^ 


THE    LAW   DEPARTMENT.  287 

•  The  course  of  instruction  is  strictly  graded  and  the  instruction  is 
given  by  lectures  and  by  frequent  examinations.  The  studenfs  are  re- 
quired to  read  and  discuss  the  leading  cases  illustrating  the  subjects 
of  instruction.  Moot  courts  are  frequently  held,  at  which  questions 
prepared  by  the  professors  are  argued. 

Under  the  statutes  of  the  University  a  degree  of  bachelor  of  laws  is 
granted  to  candidates  who,  having  attended  upon  the  full  course  of 
instruction  in  the  Law  Department  and  having  prepared  and  submitted 
to  the  faculty  an  essay  on  some  legal  subject  sufficient  in  merit  to  sat- 
isfy the  faculty  of  their  fitness  to  receive  the  degree,  shall  have  passed 
a  satisfactory  examination  upon  the  subjects  of  instruction.  The  degree 
of  bachelor  of  laws  cum  lionore  is  granted  to  such  candidates  as  may  be 
certified  by  the  faculty  to  have  passed  the  final  examination  with  dis- 
tinction. Graduates  of  the  school  are  admitted  to  practice  in  the  su- 
preme court  of  Pennsylvania  and  in  the  court  of  Philadelpliia  County, 
upon  compliance  with  the  rules  of  the  courts  as  to  registration.  There 
is  also  a  post-graduate  course  of  study,  covering  two  years  and  involv- 
ing a  philosophical  inquiry  into  the  history  and  sources  of  the  law. 
Graduates  of  this  course  receive  the  degree  of  master  of  laws.  A  system 
of  fellowships  has  been  created,  under  which  the  fa<iulty  may  select  from 
the  graduating  class  a  distinguished  student  and  appoint  him  a  resi- 
dent "  Fellow  "  to  serve  for  three  years,  at  an  annual  salary  of  $300, 
and  to  give  instruction  in  the  Law  School,  under  the  direction  of  the 
dean  of  the  faculty.  The  aim  and  end  of  the  system  of  instruction  of 
the  Law  School  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  is  to  tram  students 
of  law  so  thoroughly  that  when  they  shall  have  been  graduated  they 
will  be  competent  to  enter  into  practice  at  any  bar  in  the  United 
States. 

Since  the  establishment  of  the  Law  School  in  1850,  more  than  TOO 
students  have  been  graduated,  most  of  whom  have  engaged  in  active 
practice  and  by  their  professional  success  have  reflected  credit  upon 
their  Alma  Mater. 

The  roll  of  the  school  for  the  academic  year  1891i-'93  reports  present 
for  duty : 

Faculty. — The  provost,  1;  the  dean,  1;  professors,  5. 

Staff. — Fellows,  4;  librarian,  1;  assistant  librarians,  3. 

Students. — Third-class,  56;  second-class,  50;  first-class,  80;  special,  16. 

Total,  202. 


Chapter  X. 
THE  TOWNE  SCIENTIFIC  SCHOOL. 


I.   HISTORICAL. 
A.    THE   SCHOOL  OF  AKTS. 

The  Towne  Scientific  School,  substantially  as  it  now  exists,  was 
created  by  a  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Tmst^-es  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  passed  at  its  meeting  on  June  1,  1875.  Even  at  this 
time,  however,  the  educational  importance  of  scientific  and  technical 
training  had,  for  twenty-five  years  or  more,  occupied  the  attention 
of  the  authorities  of  tlu;  University.  At  its  meeting  on  the  oth  of 
March,  1850,  upon  reconnuendation  of  the  <;ommittee  on  the  government 
of  the  College,  the  Board  of  Trustees  had  adopted  a  resolution  "that 
it  is  expedient  to  provide  for  a  School  of  Arts.';  In  May,  1850,  the 
board  had  resolved  "  that,  for  the  puri)ose  of  establishing  a  School  of 
Arts  in  connection  with  the  University,  a  professor  be  elected  to  serve 
without  charge  to  the  University,"  the  committee  on  the  government  of 
the  College  being  re(piested  to  make  a  report  on  the  title  of  the  profes- 
sorship. In  October  this  committee  had  recommended  that  the  new 
chair  \%.  called  the  "Professorship  of  Chemistry  as  applied  to  the  Arts." 
Whereupon  the  board  accepted  this  report  and  at  once  elected  James 
C  Booth  to  this  professorship.  Professor  Booth  entered  at  once  upon 
the  duties  of  his  chaii?,  and  in  the  issue  of  th«'-  University  catalogue  for 
1851-'52  the  course  of  instruction  in  the  "  Department  of  Chemistry  as  ap- 
l)lied  to  the  Arts,''  is  announced  as  "  the  same  as  that  of  the  experimen- 
tal laboratories  now  generally  attached  to  European  univei'sities."  The 
number  of  students  was  limited  to  10,  each  sttuleut  being  "sup[)lied  with 
the  requisite  apparatus  and  chemicals  to  pursue  his  own  experimental 
investigations,  under  the  direction  of  the  professor,  with  competent 
assistance."  "  The  course  of  experiment  is  varied,"  says  the  prospectus, 
"  a<H'ording  to  the  special  object  in  view.  Familiar  lectures  are  given  by 
the  professor,  to  students  exclusively,  upon  the  following  subjects: 
Mineralogy,  Geology,  Theoretic  and  Applied  Chemistry."  The  new 
department  was  so  successful  that  in  185.'i  the  aid  of  three  assistants  was 
required  in  the  laboratory,  the  number  of  students  having  increased  to 
13.  Instruction  in  it  was  continued  until  the  resignation  of  Professor 
Booth,  in  February,  1856. 

1180 19  -  289 


290  THE    UNIVERSITY    OK    PENNSYLVANIA. 

H.    SOIKNTIKIC    INSTIUTTION'    IN    TIIK    COIXKGIATK    DKPARTMEXT. 

Meanwhile,  on  the  Gth  of  Jannary,  1852,  the  Board  of  Trnst«e.s  re- 
ceived a  conimunieation  from  the  Faenlty  of  Arts  relative  to  a  reorgani- 
zation of  the  course  of  instruction  in  that  department.  At  the  April 
meeting,  the  committee  on  the  government  of  the  College,  to  whom  this 
communication  had  been  referred,  made  a  report  prevsenting  a  plan  for 
the  reorganization  of  the  Department  of  Arts.  On  the  20th  of  Ajnil, 
the  special  committee,  to  which  this  report  had  been  referred,  reijorted 
in  favor  of  its  adoption,  and  on  May  4,  1852,  after  a  full  tliscussiou,  the 
plan  was  finally  adopted  by  the  board.  Most  of  its  provisions  relate 
solely  to  the  Department  of  Arts,  but  section  3  is  as  follows : 

If  any  one  sliall  have  attended  one  course  in  Natural  Theology  and  tlic  Evidences 
of  Christianity,  all  the  courses  in  the  Departments  of  Mathematics,  ^'atural  Philos- 
ophy, and  Chemistry,  and  two  courses  in  Modern  Languages,  or  two  courses  in  Moral 
and  Natural  Philosophy,  or  two  courses  of  Physiology  and  Natural  History,  he  shall 
he  entitled  to  receive  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science. 

Section  6  reads  thus: 

Such  students  as  shall  have  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  (of  three 
years'  standing)  shall  he  entitled  to  the  degree  of  Master  of  Science,  on  presenting 
to  tlie  J'aculty  a  thesis  which  shall  give  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  author  has 
continued  to  devote  himself  with  success  to  science. 

This  action  of  the  University  authorities  is  doubtless  to  be  regarded 
as  a  concession  to  the  growing  demand  in  the  community  for  a  course 
of  education  more  scientific  and  less  classical  in  its  character;  a  course 
I)rei)aring  the  student  for  a  wider  range  of  life  work  than  was  to  be 
found  within  tht^  three  learned  professions.  This  i)arallel  and  elective 
course  Avithin  the  Dei)artment  of  Arts  went  into  operation  at  once,  and 
is  announced  in  the  University  catalogue  for  1852-53.  Several  sii^udents 
are  enrolled  in  this  and  subsequent  years  as  taking  this  course,  and 
Heruy  A'ethake  Totten  was  gTaduated  in  1854  as  the  first  Bachelor  of 
Science  of  tlie  University.  / 

C.    DKI'ARTMKNT   OF   MINKS,    ARTS,    AND   MANUFACTURES. 

A  more  imixirtant  movement,  however,  was  in  process  of  develop- 
ment. The  special  committee,  which  had  reported  favorably  on  April 
20,  18,52,  reported  not  only  a  plan  for  the  reorganization  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Arts,  Imt  also  a  jdaii  for  establishing  a  School  of  Mines,  or,  as 
it  was  amended  at  the  meeting,  a  School  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufac 
tures.  On  the  1st  of  .lune,  1852,  the  lioard  of  Trustees  considered  very 
fully  the  proi)ose<l  i)lan,  and  adopted  the  report  of  the  wmimittee  as 
follows: 

Rettolretl,  Ihal  it  is  expedient  to  establish  a  School  of  Mines,  Arts  and  Manufac- 
tures as  one  of  the  departments  of  the  University,  and  such  dejiartment  is  hereby 
established  ui)on  the  following  jtlan  : 

I.  The  course  of  instruction  in  the  school  to  occuj)y  three  years. 

II.  Pupils  may  be  admitted  at  the  age  of  16. 


THE    TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  291 

III.  The  school  to  consist  of  the  following  departments,  viz:  (1)  Natural  Phil- 
osophy, indmlinf?  (Jenenil  Chemistry;  (2)  Technical  Chemistry,  Chemical  Analysis 
ami  Metallnrgy;  (3)  Pure  Mathematics;  (4)  Civil  Engineering,  General  Mining, 
Surveying,  Art  of  Mining,  Mining  Machinery;  (5)  Geology,  Mineralogy  ami  Pale- 
ontology; (6)  Sketching  and  Plan  Drawing;  (7)  Theoretical  and  Practical 
Mechanics,  and  its  Application  to  Machinery;  (8)  The^ German  and  French  Lan- 
guages. 

lY.  Thg  studies  to  be  so  conducted  by  the  respective  professors  as  to  combine  strict 
theory  with  the  fullest  practical  instniction ;  and  for  this  ])urpose,  every  oppor- 
tunity to  be  taken  for  visiting  with  the  pupils  the  various  workshops  and  manu- 
factories within  reach,  the  use  of  instruments  to  be  taught  in  the  field,  and  the 
months  of  July  and  August  to  be  devoted  to  geological  excursions  and  visits  to 
mines. 

V.  Examinations  of  the  pupils  to  be  licld  once  a  year,  by  the  respective  professors, 
in  the  presence  of  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  of  which  com- 
mittee at  least  one  member  shall  be  of  competent  practical  knowledge  in  the  par- 
ticular department. 

VI.  An  appropriate  degree  to  be  given  to  graduating  pupils. 

VII.  Pupils  may  attend  but  one  or  more  departments  and  shall,  on  completing 
their  studies,  receive  a  certificate  of  proficiency  in  such  department  or  departments. 
Such  certificates  to  be  from  the  University,  bj^  authority  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

It  was  further  resolved  at  this  meeting: 

That  thQ  first,  second,  sixth  and  seventh  departments  shall  be  under  the  care  and 
instruction  of  Professors  Booth  and  Frazer ;  and  the  third  under  the  care  of  Professor 
Vethake,  until  otherwise  arranged.  And  that  professors  shall  be  chosen  for  the 
fourth  and  fifth  departments. 

Ou  the  5th  of  October  following,  the  faculty  of  the  School  of  Mines, 
Arts,  and  Manufactures  was  completed  by  the  election  of  Charles  B. 
Trego  as  professor  of  geology,  mineralogy,  and  paleontology,  and  J. 
H.  Alexander  as  professor  of  civil  engineering  and  mining.  Subse- 
quently on  the  26th  of  October,  1855,  upon  the  resignation  of  Professor 
Alexander,  the  Board  of  Trustees  elected  Fairman  Rogers  to  the  pro- 
fessorship of  Civil  Engineering  and  Mining. 

The  existence  of  the  two  courses  of  scientific  instruction  already  in 
operation  in  the  Univeri^ity  seems  to  have  retarded  the  practical  estab- 
lishment of  the  School  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures.  On  the  20th 
of  March,  1855,  however,  a  gpecial  committee  of  seven,  of  which  Bishop 
Alouzo  Potter  was  chairman,  which  had  been  appointed  in  January  of 
that  year  to  consider  the  subject  of  a  reorganization  of  the  Collegiate 
Department,  made  a  report  in  which  incidentally  a  resolution  was  of- 
fered requesting  the  committee  on  the  government  of  the  College  to — 

Ascertain  as  early  as  may  be  whether  the  gentlemen  elected  to  the  several  pro- 
fessorships in  the  Department  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Mannfactures  still  hold  such  ap- 
pointments, find  if  they  do  whether  they  .are  prepared  to  enter  upon  their  duties; 
and  if  so,  to  fix  the  time  for  opening  the  schools  in  the  said  Department,  and 
annoTince  it  by  suitable  advertisements  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  elsewhere  as  they  may  deem  most  fit. 

This  resolution  having  been  adopted  by  the  board  at  its  next  meet- 
ing, the  committee  on  the  government  of  the  College,  at  the  October 
meeting,  reported  vacancies  in  the  chair  of  pure  mathematics  and  in 


292  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

that  of  civil  engineering.  The  hitter  professorship  was  immediately 
filled  by  the  election  of  Fairman  Kogers,  as  above  stated.'  Pie  entered 
at  once  upon  its  duties,  and  began  on  the  19th  of  November,  1855, 
a  course  of  twenty-eight  lectures  upon  civil  engrneering.  These  lec- 
tures were  delivered  to  a  class  of  five  students  and  were  concluded  on 
the  28tli  of  Jaiuiary,  1856.  Tiie  announcement  of  the  Department  of 
Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  appears  for  the  first  time  in  tfie  cata- 
logue of  the  University  for  the  year  1855-'56. 

As  a  proof  of  the  general  interest  taken  in  this  movement  to  estab- 
lish technical  instruction  in  the  University,  the  following  communica- 
tions to  the  Board  of  Trustees  niiiy  be  cited.  On  the  (Jth  of  March, 
1855,  the  .Vmerican  Iron  Association  held  its  meeting  in  Philadelphia. 
One  of  the  objects  of  the  association,  as  set  set  forth  in  its  constitution, 
being  *'to  encourage  the  formation  of  such  schools  as  are  designed  to 
give  the  young  iron  master  a  proper  and  thorough  scientific  training 
preparatory  to  his  engaging  in  practical  operations,"  the  convention 
passed  the  following  resolution : 

Whoreiis  this  coiivtMition  is  infoniicd  tliat  it  is  proposed  by  the  University  of  Penii- 
eylvauia  to  establish  a  Sc-liool  of  Arts  aiul  Mines,  and  that  one  of  its  objects  will  he 
the  proper  instruction  and  trainin}^  of  pupils  in  such  hrauches  of  knowledge  and 
practice  as  arc  required  for  the  management  of  iron  works:  Therefore 
-  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  convention  the  establishment  of  such  a 
Bcho<d  is  eminently  to  the  economical  conduct  of  the  iron  manufacture  and  that  we 
will  give  to  it  our  hearty  support  under  the  care  of  the  Universitj'. 

Tlie  second  comniunication,  dated  Ai)ril  3, 1855,  is  from  the  committee 
of  ways  and  means  and  informs  tlie  board  that  by  the  will  of  the  late 
p}lHott  Cresson,  esq.,  the  sum  of  $5,000  is  bequeathed  to  his  executors 
in  trust,  "to  be  applied  toward  founding  a  school  of  mines  for  develop- 
ing the  mineral  treasures  of  my  native  vState." 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1850,  the  committee  on  the  government  of 
the  College  made  a  further  report  on  the  Department  of  Mines,  Arts, 
and  Manufactures,  and  recommended  that  thereafter  it  be  composed  of 
the  following  professorships: 

A  professorship  of  natural  philosophy;  a  professorship  of  technical 
chemistry  and  metallurgy,  embracing  their  af)plication  to  themanufacture 
of  iron  and  other  metals;  a  professorship  of  pure  mathematics;  a  profes- 
sorship of  civil  engineering  and  surveying;  a  x)rofessorship  of  mining; 
a  professorship  of  geology,  mineralogy  and  paleontology;  a  professor- 
ship of  the  fine  arts,  embracing  the  element.'^  of  drawing  and  sketch- 
ing from  nature  and  their  application  to  practical  art;  a  professorship 
of  architecture  and  practical  building;  a  professorship  of  theoretical 
and  practical  mechanics. 

The  report  closed  with  the  following  resolution : 

Iteaolved,  That  tlie  Department  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  bo  constituted 
in  the  manner  and  with  the  j)rof<'ssorship8  re«U)mme&ded  ])y  the  committee  on  the 
government  of  the  College;  that  nominations  to  fill  the  vacant  professorships  be 
made  at  the  next  stated  meeting  of  the  board;  and  that  the  same  committee  b3  in- 
8tru<-ted  to  consider  and  report  such  further  ujeasures  as  may  be  necessary  for  the 
organization  of  the  department  and  the  opening  of  the  schools. 


THE   TOWNE   SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  293 

This  resolution  was  adopted,  and  the  committee  was  requested  "  to 
take  such  measures  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  eflftcnent  orgauizatiou 
ol'tlie  Department  of  Mines,  Arts,  aii<l  Manufactures,  so  that  the  same 
may  go  into  operation  and  instruction  therein  may  be  given  at  the  Uni- 
versity during  the  collegiate  term  succeeding  the  next  vacation." 

On  the  2d  of  December,  18r)0,  the  committee  reported  that  they  had 
"succeeded  in  jnaking  arrangements  for  a  course  of  instruction  in  said 
department,  to  be  carried  on  during  the  ensuing  winter  months."  The 
report  goes  on  to  say  that — 

The  faculty  of  the  department  consists  of  Professors  Frazer,  Rogers,  Trego,  and 
Kendall,  the  three  lirst-naniod  gentlemen  having  been  regularly  elected  to  chairs  in 
the  school,  and  Professor  Kendall  4iaving  cheerfully  and  i)rrtmptly  entered  upon  duty 
at  the  request  of  the  committee,  and  under  promise  that  his  appointment  should  be 
confirmed  by  the  trustees. '  The  course  of  instruction  will  for  the  pi-esent  term  ccnisist 
of  lectures  on  natural*  i)hilo8ophy,  mechanics,  and  chemistry,  by  Professor  Frazer ; 
civil  engineering,  surveying,  etc.,  by  Professor  Rogers;  geology  and  mineralogy,  by 
Professor  Trego,  and  mathematics,  by  Professor  Kendall.  The  term  commenced  ou 
the  Ist  instant,  and  the  introductory  lectures  will  all  be  delivered  during  the  present 
week.  Indeed,  the  course  is  intended  to  be  so  eminently  practical  and  direct  that 
introductions  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  term  will  form  but  a  small  part  of  the 
instruction  given  by  the  professors.  The  lectures  are  to  be  delivered  ou  Monday, 
Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday,  and  Friday  of  each  week,  at  from  4  to  6  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  The  committee  congratulate  the  board  on  the  opening  of  this 
important  department  of  instruction,  and  they  invite  for  it  the  cordial  sympathy, 
publicitj',  and  confidence  of  the  trustees.  It  is  believed  by  the  committee  that  the 
large  and  important  interests  involved  in  the  studies  of  such  a  department  will, 
when  it  comes  to  be  known,  secure  for  it  a  liberal  endowment.  In  order,  however, 
to  place  it  fairly  before  the  public,  and  to  show  that  it  is  pi-operly  estimated  by 
the  guardians  of  the  University,  some  expenditures  should  be  made;  and  these,  as 
well  as  a  plan  for  securing  a  permament  endowment,  the  committee  recommend, 
shall  be  had  under  the  following  resolutions: 

liesolred,  That  the  committee  on  expenditures  and  accounts  be  directed  toanquire 
into  and  report  on  the  expediency  of  making  an  appropriation  of  the  sum  of  $500  for 
the  purpose  of  defraying  any  exiienses  that  may  be  authorized  by  the  committee  on 
the  government  of  the  College  for  establishing,  opening,  and  conducting  the  Depart- 
ment of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  for  its  present  course  of  instruction. 

liesolcedf  That  the  committee  on  the  government  of  the  College  be  requested  to  re- 
port a  plan  having  for  its  objeiit  the  procuring  of  a  proper  endowment  for  the  said 
department. 

These  resolutions  were  adopted  by  the  board  and  the  by-laws  were 
amended  so  as  to  create  a  standing  committee  on  the  Department  of 
Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures.  Mr.  John  C  Cresson,  Mr.  Henry  D. 
Gilpin,  and  Mr.  Frederick  Fraley  were  appointed  such  committee,  to 
whicii  Mr.  Stephen  Col  well  and  Mr.  James  Bayard  Avere  subsequently 
added. 

The  course  of  instruction  thus  providexL  for  in  the  Department  of 

'  Professor  Kendall  had  been  elected  to  thechair  of  mathematics  in  the  Department 
of  Arts  August  7,  1855,  to  succeed  Professor  Vethake,  transferred  to  the  chair  of  iutel* 
lectual  and  moral  pbilosoi>hy.  Professor  Kendall  was  elected  to  the  Department  of 
Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  January  8,  1857. 


294  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufjictures  began  on  the  1st  day  of  December, 
1850,  and  eontinned  until  tlie  .'iOtli  of  March,  1857 ;  Professor  Frazer  giv- 
ing thirty  lectures  on  the  Theory  of  Mechanics  and  its  Application 
to  the  Construction  of  Machines,  and  on  ('heniistry,  its  theories  and  the 
properties  of  botlies  and  their  compounds,  with  its  apjilications  in  the 
arts;  Professor  Kendall  gi\ing  thirty  lectures  on  I'ure  Mathematics 
and  its  connection  with  practical  science;  ProfessorKogers  fifty  lectures 
on  Civil  Engineering  and  Surveying;  on  triangulation  and  compass, 
linear,  mining,  and  hydrographic  surveying;  and  on  construction, 
strength  of  materials,  beams,  arches,  and  the  special  applications  to  rail- 
roads, canals,  and  water- works;  and  Professor  Trego  thirty  lectures  on 
Geology  as  applied  to  the  origin,  order,  and  geographical  distribntion 
of  rock  formations  and  its  practical  application  to  mining,  manufac- 
tures, and  agriculture,  and  on  Mineralogy  as  applied  to  the  constituent 
materials  of  rocks,  the  external  and  chemical  charjicter  of  ores  and 
mineral  substances,  their  connection  with  the  various  rock  formations, 
and  their  uses  in  Metallurgy  and  Manufactures.  The  number  of  stu- 
dents enrolled  as  in  attendance  upon  this  course  of  instruction  is  twenty- 
two.  The  same  course  of  instruction  substantially  was  continued  dur 
ing  the  winters  of  1857-'58  and  1858-'59;  the  class  numbering  seven- 
teen students  during  the  former  period  and  thirteen  during  the  latter 
l)eriod.  On  the  3d  of  May,  1859,  Prof.  J.  P.  Lesley  was  elected  to  the 
chair  of  mining,  and  his  course  on  this  subject  was  added  to  those  of 
the  other  professors  during  the  winter  of  1859-'G0,  the  class  numbering 
eighteen  students. 

D.    COLLBGE   OK   AGRICrLTURE,  MINES,  ARTS,  AND   THK   MECHANIC   ARTS. 

On  tlie  2d  of  February,  18G4,  the  board  appointed  a  special  committee 
"  to  consider  the  subject  of  the  endowment  by  the  State  from  the  public 
lands  approju'lated  theteto,  with  power  to  request  a  ix)rtion  of  them  for 
the  University."    On  the  10th  this  committee  reported — 

A  jilau  necesdary  for  Ihc  proper  a)>plicati(>n  by  tlie  University  for  a  portion  of  said 
grunt,  a8  follows: 
The  Boanl  of  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  do  ordain: 
That  tlift  I)e])artnient  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  is  hereby  established  as 
"The  College  of  Agriculture,  Mines,  Arts,  and  the  Mechanics  Arts"  in  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  shall  be  governed  by  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  this  University  shall  ordain. 

That  without  excluding  other  scientific  and  classical  studies,  there  shall  be,  besides 
the  present  ])rof(>ssorslii])s,  viz: 

Natural  jdiilosophy  and  cheniistry. 

Technical  chemistry  and  nietalliirgy  (embracing  their  application  to  the  manu- 
facture of  iron  iiiid  other  metals). 
Mathematics. 

Civil  engineering  and  surveying. 
.Mining. 

Geology,  mineralogy,  and  paleontology. 
Fine  arts  (embracing  the  elements  of  drawing  and  sketching  from  nature  and 

their  applicatitm  to  the  practical  arts). 
Architecture  and  practical  building. 


THE    TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC   SCHOOL.  295 

Theoretical  and  practical  mechanics ; — 

First.  A  prufessorshij)  of  agiicultural  chemistry  and  scientific  agricnlture. 

Second.  An  instrnctor  in  practical  agricnltnrc. 

Third.  A  profes.sorshlp  of  military  tactics  and  iustrnction  in  military  drill. 

Fourth.  A  ]trofessorship  of  botany. 

That  the  said  Collejje  is  especially  established  in  (U'der  to  promote  the  liberal  and 
practical  edncation  of  the  indnstrial  <la8.ses  in  the  several  xnirsnits  and  professions 
of  life. 

This  re])oit  was  accei)t<Ml  and  its  recomiiieiulatioiis  sulopted  by  the' 
board. 

On  the  4th  of  December,  18GC,  Prof.  C.  J.  Stills,  who  had  been  elected 
to  the  chair  of  Belles-Lettres  and  English  language  and  literatnre  on 
May  1,  1866,  sent  a  comnuinication  to  the  board  containing  sngge^^tions 
on  the  reorganization  of  the  collegiate  department.  The  special  com- 
mittee to  which  this  communication  was  referred  made  a  report  on 
January  1,  1867,  in  which,  after  considering  the  Department  of  Art^, 
they  say : 

The  consideration  of  these  changes  and  tlie  reasons  for  them  directed  the  attention 
of  the  committee  to  the  Department  of  Agricultnre,  Arts,  Mines,  and  ilannfactures 
that  was  established  some  years  ago,  and  was  partially  organized  and  pnt  into  opera- 
tion. It  is  believed  that  snch  a  department  is  much  needed  in  our  city  for  a  thorough 
course  of  instruction  in  the  arts  mentioned  in  its  title,  but  it  has  languished  for  want 
of  a  sufficient  endowment.  If  the  proposed  changes  in  the  Department  of  Arts  shall 
bo  adopted  by  the  trustees  there  will  bo  a  necessity  for  an  appeal  to  the  iiublic  for 
funds  properly  to  endow  the  additional  professorships,  and  such  an  appeal  should 
include  one  for  the  real  Scientific  and  Technological  Schools  above  named. 

The  committee  presented  the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted 
by  the  board : 

Resolved,  That  application  be  made  to  the  public  for  such  an  enlargement  of  the 
means  of  the  University  as  will  enable  tlie  trustees  to  establish  in  the  Department 
of  Arts  professorships  of  history  and  general  literature,  of  modern  languages  and 
physical  science,  and  also  a  sutlicient  endowment  for  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Arts,  Mines,  and  Manufactures, 

On  the  7tli  of  July,  1868,  Professor  Stills  was  elected  provost  of  the 
University.  The  new  Department  of  Science  constituted  one  of  the 
most  prominent  features  in  his  plans  for  the  development  of  the  institu- 
tion. In  his  inaugural  address,  delivered  in  the  Academy  of  Music 
on  the  30th  of  Sejiltember,  he  emphasized  strongly  the  importance  of 
this  subject,  insisting  "that  a  scientific  school  ought  to  be  established 
as  a  distinct  department  of  the  University  and  sliould  be  liberally  en- 
dowed." 

Closely  connected  at  this  time  with  the  question  of  a  School  of  Science 
was  the  broader  question  of  securing  a  more  desirable  location  for  the 
University  as  a  whole.  On  the  2d  of  June,  1868,  the  Board  of  Trustees 
had  taken  action  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  on  endowment  be  requested  to  inquire  into  the 
expediency  of  removing  the  University  from  its  present  site,  and  to  ascertain  wtere 
a  desirable  location  can  be  obtained  for  the  institution.  . 


296  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Oil  the  Otli  of  October  the  committee  reported  resolutions  declaring 
it  expedient  to  change  the  location  of  the  University,  and  appointing  a 
special  committee  to  negotiate  with  the  city  of  Philadcli>hia  for  tJie 
purcluise  of  a  portion  of  the  city  farm  in  West  Philadelphia.  This 
sjiecial  committee  reix>rted  on  the  4th  of  January,  1870,  that  they  had 
secured  the  jiassage  of  an  ordinance  by  which  about  10}  acres  of  the 
land  referred  to  had  been  secured  to  the  University.  The  purchase 
was  at  once  ratitied  by  the  board  and  the  transfer  of  the  property  was 
effected;  and  on  the  1st  of  March,  1870,  the  subject  of  the  improve- 
ment of  this  lot  of  land  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  Arts,  INIines,  and  Mechanic  Arts.  This  committee 
prese«ited  a  ]>reliminary  report  on  the  3d  of  May,  embodying  "the  gen- 
eral features  of  a  plan  for  tlie  new  University  building  which  would 
secure  ami)le  accommodations  for  both  the  Department  of  Arts  and  the 
Department  of  Science."  On  the  10th  day  of  May  the  general  features 
of  the  plans  presented  were  approved  by  the  board  and  referred  back 
to  the  committee  for  completion.  The  final  plan  was  laid  before  the 
board  by  the  committee  on  the  28th  of  February,  1871,  and  was  at 
once  adopted.  At  the  same  meeting  the  contract  for  the  new  building 
was  awarded,  and  on  the  15th  of  June,  1871,  the  corner  stone  of  this 
building  was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 

E.    THK   DKPAKTMENT   OK   SCIENCE. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1872,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University 
passed  a  resolution — 

Tliat  the  plan  lor  the  orgauization  of  the  Scientific  School,  in  connection  with  the 
Department  of  Arts,  he  referred  to  the  Couiniittee  on  the  Department  of  Ajfrifulture, 
Mining.  Arts,  and  Mechanic  Arts,  in  connection  with  the  Committee  on  the  Depart- 
ment «if  Arts. 

This  joint  committee,  on  the  5tli  of  March,  reported  a  proposed  plan 
of  orgauization,  which  was  adopted  and  printed,  and  also  a  resolution 
"  That  the  Board  of  Trustees  do  hereby  establish  a  new  department 
and  faculty  of  the  University,  to  be  called  the  J3epartment  of  Science," 
th(^  Department  of  Agriculture,  Mines,  Arts,  and  Mechanic  Arts  being 
tliere])y  abolished  and  the  title  of  the  standing  committee  being  altered 
t«  correspond.  On  the  14th  of  May  resolutions  were  passed  by  the 
board  cxmstituting  the  faculty  of  the  Department  of  Science,  and  re- 
( I  nesting  this  faculty  to  meet  and  decide  upon  a  programme  of  studies, 
and  in  connection  with  the  faculty  of  arts  to  prepare  a  roster,  the  i)ro- 
gramme  and  the  roster  to  be  submitted  to  and  approved  by  the  com- 
mittee on  the  Department  of  Science.    The  board  also  resolved— 

That  the  provost  shall  jirepare  a  special  announcement  of  the  organization  and 
iDurse  of  study  in  the  Deitartment  of  Science,  which,  when  approved  by  the  said 
cummittee,  shall  be  jtrinted  and  distributed. 


THK   TOWNE   SCIENTIFIC   SCHOOL.  297 

In  the  spring  of  tlie  year  1872  tlii.s  special  aunouucemeut  of  the  plan 
of  organization  and  courses  of  study  of  the  new  Department  of  Science 
was  issued.     In  this  prospectus  it  is  stated  that — 

The  design  of  the  instruction  is  to  give  a  thorough  technical  and-  iirofeusioual 
training  to  those  wiio  proposecngaging  in  tlie  following,  among  other  ])ursuits,  viz: 
In  theniistry,  with  its  nianifohl  applications  to  the  industrial  arts;  in  mineralogy, 
geology,  and  mining;  in  metallurgy  and  assaying;  in  engineering,  civil,  mechauical^ 
and  mining,  and  in  mechanical  drawing  and  architecture.  In  order  that  this  pro- 
fessional course  shall  be  complete  and  systematic,  and  rest  upon  a  hroad  basis,  so 
that  the  student  at  its  close  may  not  be  a  mere  specialist,  Init  a  man  of  liberal  educa-I 
tion  as  well,  it  has  been  determined  that  the  course  shall  be  a  comprehensive  one, 
extending  through  four  years.  The  first  two  years  will  l)e  devoted  n«)t  merely  to  a 
thorough  training  in  the  j)reparatory  atid  elementary  mathematics,  i>hy8ics,  chem- 
istry, and  nu^thods  of  physical  research  generally,  but  a  considerable  jiortion  of  the 
time  will  be  given  to  instruction  in  certain  English  studies — history,  logic,  rhetoric, 
and  oratory — as  well  as  to  the  modern  languages  and  to  mechanical  drawing.  At 
the  close  of  these  two  years  the  student  is  presumed  to  be  prepared  for  studies  of  a 
strictly  professional  or  technical  character,  and  he  will  then  select  one  of  four 
parallel  courses  in  which  instruction  is  given  in  this  department,  and  during  the 
bust  two  years  his  work  will  be  confined  to  the  studies  of  one  or  other  of  these 
courses,  in  accordance  with  the  plans  he  may  have  formed  in  regard  to  his  future 
profession. 

The  new  university  building  was  erected  on  the  square  bounded  by 
Locust,  Spruce,  Thirty-fourth,  and  Thirty-sixth  streets.  It  was  opened 
for  the  reception  of  students  on  the  16th  of  September,  1872  and  was 
formally  inaugurated  on  the  11th  of  October  following.  It  is  254  feet 
in  length  and  102  feet  in  depth. 

The  western  wing  [said  Mr.  Sellers,  the  chairman  of  the  building  committee]  has 
been  arranged  for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Arts,  the  eastern  for  that  of  the  De- 
partment of  Science;  whilst  certain  portions  of  the  center  building  are  intended  for 
the  cqmmon  nse  of  both  departments,  such  as  the  chapel,  library,  assembly  room, 
etc.  Besides  these,  the  building  contains  16  rooms  devoted  to  instruction  in  chemis- 
try and  its  applications,  4  to  ])hysics,  6  to  geology  and  mining,  4  to  civil  and  mechan- 
ical engineering,  3  to  drawing,  3  to  mathematics,  1  each  to  English  literature,  his- 
tory, intellectual  and  moral  i^hilosophy,  Greek,  Latin,  French,  German,  rhetoric,  and 
oratory.  The  laboratories  have  been  fitted  up  with  the  most  complete  modern  ap- 
paratus and  models;  museums  and  other  improved  means  of  illustration  have  been 
abund.antly  provided. 

The  fiicilities  of  the  new  Scientific  School  are  still  further  stated  in 
the  prospectus : 

In  the  basement  story  there  are  2  preparing  chemical  laboratories  and  2  physical 
laboratories,  a  metallurgical  laboratory,  a  lireproof  furnace  room,  rooms  for  gold 
and  silver  assaying,  and  an  apparatus  and  diagram  room.  In  the  first,  second, 
and  third  stories  are  the  chemical  and  physical  lecture  and  apparatus  rooms;  labo- 
ratories for  ([ualitative,  quantitative,  and  organic  analysis;  professoi-'s  private  labo- 
ratory and  balance  rooms;  and  also  large  recitaticm,  lecture,  and  nuxlel  rooms  in  the 
Departments  of  Civil  and  Mechanical  Engineering,  Mining,  Mineralogy.  Metallurgy, 
Architecture,  and  Drawing. 

The  faculty  of  the  Department  of  Science,  as  organized  in  1872,  was 
as  follows :  Charles  J.  Stille,  ll.  d.,  provost  of  the  University,  profes- 


298  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

I 

sorof  history  and  Euglisli  literature;  .J.  Peter  Lesley,  a.  m.,  dean  of 
the  fa<.'iilty,  professor  of  jifeolo^y  aud  liiiiiiug;  Frederick  A.  Gentli,  A. 
M.,  rii.  u.,  professor  of  analytical  and  applied  chemistry  and  mineral- 
ogy; Leonard  Creorge  Franck,  c.  e.,  professor  of  civil  and  mechanical 
engineering;  John  F.  Frazer,  ll.  d.,  professor  of  natural  philosophy 
and  chemistry;  Persifor  Frazer,  jr.,  A.  M.,  assistant  professor  of  nat- 
ural philosophy  and  chemistry;  E.  Otis  Kendall,  ll.  d.,  professor  of 
mathematics;  liev.  Robert  E.  Thompson,  A.  M.,  assistant  professor  of 
mathematics,  and  Librarian;  John  O.  E.  McEhoy,  A.  M.,  adjunct  pro- 
fessor of  Greek  and  history;  Oswald  Seiden  sticker,  ph.  d.,  professor  of 
the  German  language  and  literature;  F.  Amedee  Bregy,  A.  m.,  profes- 
sor of  the  Frencli  language  and  literature;  Samuel  M.  Cleveland,  a.m., 
professor  of  rhetoric  and  oratory;  Thomas  W.  Eichards,  instructor  in 
drawing;  Lewis  M.  Haupt,  instructor  in  mathematics  and  engineering. 

(candidates  for  admission  to  the  Department  of  Science  must  have 
attained  the  age  of  IG  years,  and  were  required  to  pass  examinations  in 
"  ancient  and  modern  geography,  in  English  grammar,  in  arithmetic, 
and  in  algebra  as  far  as  quadratic  equations,'' 

During  the  first  or  freshman  j^ear  and  the  second  or  sophomore  year, 
the  students  in  all  the  courses  were  instructed  in  common  in  mathe 
matics,  modem  languages,  drawing,  and  the  elements  of  chemistry, 
geology  and  mineralogy.  At  the  beginning  of  the  tliird  or  junior  year 
each  student  was  required  to  make  an  election  between  the  four  i)aral- 
lel  courses  of  study  prescribed  for  the  Scientific  Department,  namely : 

I.  Analytical  and  apjdied  chemistry  aiul  mineralogy.  II.  Geology 
and  mining.    III.  Civil  eagineering.     IV.  Mechanical  engineering. 

In  the  first  of  these  courses,  the  junior  year  was  devoted  to  blowpipe 
and  qualitative  analysis  aud  to  the  preparation  of  the  rarer  chemical 
substances,  and  the  senior  to  quantitative  analysis,  gravimetric,  volu- 
metric, and  organic.  In  the  second  course  the  study  of  general  and 
physical  geology  o(?cupied  the  junior  year,  and  that  of  mining  the  senior 
year.  In  the  third  course,  the  junior  student  continued  his  mathematics 
and  drawing,  and  took  up  in  addition  applied  mechanics  and  elementary 
engineering  and  geodesy;  advanced  engineering  and  geodesy  being 
taught  in  the  senior  year.  The  student  in  the  fourth  course,  in  addition 
U)  matliematicsand  drawing,  took  uj)  in  tlu;  junior  year  applied  meclianics 
and  the  i)rinciples  of  mechanism ;  these  studies  being  continued  through 
the  senior  year,  with  special  reference  to  the  designing  of  machinery. 
Besides  the  exclusively  technical  instruction,  the  students  in  all  these 
courses  were  to  receive  instruction  in  physics,  in  modern  languages,  in 
Englisli  literature,  in  history,  aud  in  social  science. 

In  the  catalogue  of  tlie  University  of  Pennsylvania  for  1872-'73, 
seven  students  are  enroHed  as  "scientific  students  in  the  Department 
of  Arts,"  under  the  old  elective  system.  Besides  these,  the  students 
in  the  new  Department  of  Science  number  98,  distributed  as  follows: 


THE    TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  299 

Seniors,  8^  juniors,  0*;  sophomores,  21;  and  freslimen,  4").  The  names 
of  fifteen  stmhMits  also  appear  as  taking  special  or  partial  conrses. 

The  announcement  of  the  Department  of  Science  concludes  as  fol- 
lows : 

In  Peunsylvania,  the  chief  scat  of  coal-mining  and  iron-making,  and  in  Pliiladel- 
phia,  the  most  im])ortant  focus  of  American  manufattuies,  Huch  ])ractical  instruction 
in  minincr,  metallurgy,  civil  engineering,  and  uu'chunical  science  is  not  only  indis- 
pensable, but  takes  precedency  of  merely  didactic  tuiticni,  such  as  was  formerly  ac- 
counted a  suflficient  8ui>plement  to  a  liberal  education.  The  students  of  this  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  are,  therefore,  not  only  taught  to  comprehend  the  principles, 
but  to  exercise  themselves  in  the  technical  labor  of  a  professional  life  of  the  highest 
order,  before  assuming  its  responsibilities  in  the  outside  world.  Th<'y  are  trained 
in  outdoor  survejing,  nuike  specimen  geological  surveys,  visit  manufactories,  con- 
strnct  models  of  machines,  and  will  be  required  hereafter  to  put  ores  through  metal- 
lurgical processes  on  a  larger  scale  than  is  possible  in  the  analytical  laboratories. 
Every  year  will  add  to  the  scope  and  eflfteieucy  of  the  instruction  organized  on  this 
practical  basis. 

V.    TlIK   TOWNK   SCIENTIFIC   SCHOOL. 

In  April,  1873,  John  Henry  Towne,  esq.,  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the 
University,  and  at  once  took  a  warm  interest  in  the  development  of  the 
new  Department  of  Science.  At  his  death,  in  1874,  it  was  found  that 
he  had  provided  liberally  f<u"  this  department  in  his  will,  leaving  to  it 
the  residue  of  his  large  estate. 

At  its  meeting  June  1, 1875,  the  Board  of  Trustees  took  the  following 
action : 

■  A  letter  having  been  read  announcing  that  Mr.  Towne,  bj'his  will,  had  bequeathed 
to  the  trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  the  residue  of  his  estute,  after  the 
payment  of  certain  charges,  to  form  a  ])ortion  of  the  endowment  fund  of  the  Univer- 
sity, the  income  of  the  same  to  be  applied  exclusively  for  the  jjayment  of  the  sal- 
aries of  the  professors  and  instructors  in  the  Department  of  Science,  and  a  certified 
copy  of  said  will  was  submitted  to  the  board;  whereupon  it  was — 

Resolved,  That  the  tru-.tees,  in  accei)ting  the  trust  confided  to  them  by  Mr.  Towne, 
desire  to  express  their  grateful  recognition  of  the  important  services  rendered  by 
him,  while  he  Avas  a  member  of  the  board,  to  the  interests  under  their  charge. 

liesolred,  That  in  endowing  permanently  the  Department  of  Science  with  a  sum  of 
money  larger  (it  is  believed)  than  has  ever  been  given  by  any  one  i)erson  to  support 
the  teaching  of  Ai>plied  Science,  the  memory  of  Mr.  Towne  ought  to  be  cherished  as 
that  of  a  great  benefactor,  not  only  to  the  University,  but  also  to  the  community, 
for  the  advancement  of  whose  highest  interest  the  l^niveraity  is  maintained. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  projier,  just,  and  grateful  tribute  to  Mr.  Towne's  memory,  and 
as  «>ne  means  of  perpetuating  the  same,  the  Department  of  Science,  which  he  has  so 
nuniificently  endowed,  shall  be  hereafter  known  as  "'The  Towne  Scientific  School 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania."  * 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Board  are  justly  due  to  Mr.  Towne'a  family  for 
their  concurrence  in  his  desire  to  establish  here  a  system  of  scientific  education  on 
the  largest,  most  liberal,  and  permanent  basis. 

In  consequence  of  this  action  of  the  board,  the  Department  of 
Science  has  been  known  since  1875  as  "The  Towne  Scientific  School  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania." 


300  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

ir. — DESCRIPTIVE. 

A.    ITS    I'liKSKNT'OHGANI/ATIOX. 

Tlie  Department  of  Science,  imder  tlie  name  of  "  The  Towne  Scientific 
School,"  Avhile  retaining  substantially  the  same  general  organization 
as  that  on  ^vhich  it  was  origijially  planned,  has  been  from  time  to  ti.ne 
greatly  broadened  in  its  scope  and  materially  modified  in  its  details  to 
meet  the  demands  for  a  wider  and  more  advanc-ed  technical  education. 
In  1882  the  course  of  instruction,  which  hitherto  had  been  only  four 
years  in  length,  Avas  increased  to  five;  at  first,  by  intercalating  an  ad- 
ditional year  between  the  sophomore  and  Junior  years,  called  the  sub- 
Junior  year,  and,  subsequently,  in  1884,  by  phu'Jng  this  extra  year  at 
the  chjse  of  the  course  and  calling  it  a  j^ost-senior  year. 

Candidates  for  admission  must  be  i^repared  in  English  grammar  and 
etymology,  in  ancient  history  and  liistojy  of  the  United  States,  in 
mathematics  through  solid  geometry  and  (puwlratics,  in  Latin  through 
the  first  three  books  of  Virgil,  and  in  French  or  German. 

Instruction  is  provided  for  in  four  technical  courses,  as  follows: 
(1)  Pure  and  applied  chemistry.  (2)  Metallurgy  and  mining.  (3)  Civil 
engineering.     (4)  Mechanical  and  electrical  engineering. 

The  instruction  given  in  freshman  and  sophomore  years  is  common 
to  all  these  technical  courses,  consisting  in  the  freshman  year  of  En- 
glish, of  history,  of  mathematics  (including  trigonometry),  of  drawing, 
and  of  German  or  French;  and  in  the  sophomore  year  of  these  subjects 
continued,  including  analytical  geometry,  calculus,  and  descriptive  ge- 
ometry, and  inorganic  chemistry,  mass  physics,  and  English  literature. 
Moreover,  in  Junior  and  senior  years,  certain  studies  are  required  of  all 
students  in  the  Towne  Scientific  School,  whatever  the  particular  course 
selected  by  them.  These  studies  include,  in  the  Junior  year,  modern 
languages,  philosophy,  mathematics,  history,  and  general  physics,  and, 
in  the  senior  year,  besides  ai)plied  mathematics  and  experimental  phys- 
ics, the  subjects  of  English,  of  econ(nnicsand  social  science,  and  of  met- 
allurgy. The  i)Ost-senior  year  is  devoted  entirely  to  technical  studies 
in  the  i)articular  course  which  the  student  has  elected  U)  jmrsue. 

1,  Course  hi  pure  and  applied  chewisfry. — Instruction  in  the  course  in 
pure  and  applied  chemistry  is  given  by  one  professor  and  tliree  instruct- 
ors, as  follows:  Edgar  F.  Smith,  rh.  d.  (Gottingen),  professor  of  chemis- 
t  ry ;  Lee  K.  Frankel,  rh,  d.,  b.  ,s.,  p.  c,  instructor  in  analytical  chemistry ; 
Walter  J.  Keith,  Ph.  u.  (Gottingen),  instructor  in  general  chemistry; 
.Iiilius  Ohly,  Ph.  D.  (Gottingen),  instructor  in  general  chemistry. 

The  facilities  for  instruction  in  this  technical  course  are  very  com-, 
plete.  Laboratories  are  provided  in  general  chemistry,  in  qualitative 
and  quantitative  analysis,  in  organic  chemistry,  and  in  industrial 
chemistry,  in  addition  to  the  lecture  and  recitation  rooms,  also  required. 
The  e(iuipmeut  of  the  Chemical  Department  is  also  excellent.    The  col- 


THE    TOWNE   SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  301 

lections  of  apparatus  and  material  needed  to  demonstrate  the  laws  of 
chemistry  and  to  determine  the  various  chemical  constants  required, 
not  only  in  laboratory  Avork  but  friso  in  researcli,  are  considerable. 
Electrolytic  chemical  methods  have  been  especially  provided  for,  and 
extensive  collections  of  chemicals  and  chemical  products  have  been 
made  to  illustrate  the  applications  of  chemistry  to  tlie  industrial  arta. 

The  instruction  given  in  this  course  may  be  stated  somewhat  in  de- 
tail as  follows:  In  the  preparatory  year  the  sophomores  receive  instruc- 
tion by  practical  laboratory  exercises  covering  the  principal  points  in 
theoretical  and  general  and  in  organic  chemistry.  The  juniors  attend 
courses  in  organic  chemistry,  mineralogy,  and  qualitative  analysis. 
They  also  work  in  the  laboratories,  making  the  chara<'t€ristic  reac-' 
tions  of  inorganic  bases  and  acids,  as  well  as  (pialitative  separations  of 
the  most  complex  substances.  Written  reports  on  the  results  of  their 
work  are  required. 

The  seniors  receive  instruction  by  lectures  and  recitations  in  an 
branches  of  quantitative  analysis,  applied  chemistry,  metallurgy,  and 
organic  ^d  theoretical  chemistry.  Practical  work,  embracing  all  of 
the  above-named  branches,  is  continued. 

During  the  first  term  of  post-senior  year  the  work  of  senior  year  may 
be  continued  if  deemed  advisable.  In  the  meanwhile  the  subject  for 
thesis  may  be  chosen  in  order  to  allow  the  student  time  to  read  up  all 
accessible  matter  relating  to  it,  so  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  sec- 
ond term  can  be  devoted  to  the  necessary  experimental  researches. 

The  seniors  and  post-seniors  attend  courses  of  lectures  on  the  appli- 
cation of  inorganic  and  organic  chemistry  in  the  industrial  arts.  These 
lectures  for  the  most  part  are  given  by  graduates  of  the  school,  who 
are  now  engaged  in  technical  occupations  in  tlie  time  of  these  lectures. 
The  classes  also  make  excursions  to  chemical  works,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  instructors. 

The  post-seniors  attend  lectures  on  theoretical  chemistry  and  electrol- 
ysis applied  to  (quantitative  analysis. 

2.  Course  in  mefallunfy  and  mining. — The  course  in  metallurgy  and 
mining  has  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  professor  of  chemistry,  Dr. 
Edgar  F.  Smith.  The  instruction  is  given  mainly  by  Amos  P.*  Brown, 
B.  s.,  E.  M.,  instructor  in  metallurgy  and  mining. 

The  Department  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  is  provided  with  metal- 
lurgical and  assay  laboratories  and  with  drawing  rooms  for  mining 
engineering,  in  addition  to  the  usual  lecture  and  recitation  rooms.  Its 
equipment  includes  large  and  complete  cabinets  of  minerals  and  geo- 
logical specimens,  besides  the  collections  of  materials,  models,  and 
'drawings  required  to  illustrate  the  course  and  to  make  the  work  of  the 
student  thoroughly  i)ractical. 

Students  in  metallurgy  and  mining  are  trained  to  take  intelligent 
care  of  the  ever-growing,  important  int<irests  represented  by  these  in- 
dustries.    In  recognition  of  the  extent  of  knowledge  embraced  in  this 


302  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

field,  they  are  given  the  option  of  devoting  themselves  more  particularly 
to  either  branch.  Those  who  incline  to  become  managers  of  mines,  or 
examining  and  reporting  engineer^,  will  take  more  studies  in  civil  and 
mechanical  engineering,  and  those  who  i)ossess  greater  aptitude  for 
chemical  studies  will  devote  themselves  rather  to  experimental  metal- 
lurgy, whilst  the  lectures  provided  for  the  course  are  participated  in 
by  all.  A  greater  thoroughness  is  expected  to  result  from  this  provi- 
sion. This  instruction  aims  to  develop  the  student's  power  of  initiative. 
During  the  past  year  new  laboratories  have  been  furnished  for  students 
in  mining  and  metallmgy.  They  contain  all  that  is  needed  for  thorough 
instruction  in  the  difterent  branches  of  these  subjects. 

3.  Course  in  civil  engineering. — The  personnel  6f  instruction  of  the 
course  in  civil  engineering  is  as  follows :  Edgar  Marburg,  c.  E.,  acting 
professor  of  civil  engineering;  Walter  Webb,  c.  e.,  instructor  in  civil 
engineering;  Charles  Worthington,  c.  e.,  instructor  in  civil  engineer- 
ing. 

Besides  the  ordinary  recitation  and  lecture  rooms,  the  department  of 
civil  engineering  is  provided  with  drawing  rooms  and  with  modeling  and 
construction  rooms;  these  are  equipped  with  the  instruments,  appa- 
ratus, and  tools  required  not  only  for  familiarizing  the  student  with 
the  principles  taught,  but  also  for  enabling  him  to  become  practi- 
cally acquainted  with  the  modes  of  construction  and  procedure  in  the 
processes  of  civil  engineering  in  general,  including  surveying  and 
geodesy. 

The  students  in  civil  engineering  are  instructed  by  recitations,  lec- 
tures, and  practical  work.  Afternoons  and  Saturdays  are  devoted  to 
drawing  and  practical  work  in  the  shop,  or  to  surveying  or  visiting 
public  or  private  works,  manufactories,  etc.  During  the  last  year  of  the 
course  the  time  is  devoted  largely  to  examinations  and  reports  upon 
engineering  works  in  process  of  construction,  to  making  estimates  and 
designs  for  new  i)rojects  from  data  collected  in  the  field,  and  to  the 
preparation  of  theses. 

In  visiting  shops  and  manufactories  students  are  required  to  collect 
all  the  practical  information  jmssible,  and  to  embody  it  in  a  written 
report,  noting  particularly  any  new  or  special  features  for  economizing 
time  or  materials,  improved  methods  of  assembling  parts,  etc.,  as  well 
as  the  general  plant,  apparatus,  and  facilities  for  receiving  and  shipping 
materials. 

The  field  practice  embraces  the  various  problems  in  chain  surveying, 
the  measurement  of  areas,  and  the  computation  of  results;  line  sur- 
veys and  location,  cross  sections  and  levels  for  estimating  quantities, 
hydrography,  topography,  with  the  plane-table,  and  the  solution  of  such' 
geodetic  problems  as  relate  to  the  orientation  of  maps. 

The  course  in  drawing  includes  the  projection  of  maps,  various  meth- 
ods of  representing  topography,  conventional  signs,  problems  in  shades, 
shadows,  and  perspective,  details  of  framing,   comi)osition,   general 


THE    TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  303 

dravN'iiif;  for  constiuctioHs  in  wckmI,  stont',  ami  iron,  special  (le>;igns, 
workin{?  drawings  for  modeling,  i)latting,  drawing  of  profiles  and  cross 
sections,  and  drawings  for  theses. 

4.  Course  in  mechanical  engineering. — The  instruction  in  the  course 
in  mechanical  engineering  is  given  by  the  professor  in  charge  of 
the  department,  aided  by  f«mr  instru(;tors  and  assistant  instructors,  as 
follows:  Henry  W.  Spangler,  Whitney  professor  of  dynamical  engineer- 
ing; A.  W.  Schramm,  b.»s.,  m.  e.,  and  L.  E.  Picolet,  instructors  in  me- 
chanical engineering;  H.  W.  Huffinton  (U.  S^  N.  A.),  instructor  in  elec- 
trical engineering;  DavwlR.  Griffith,  assistant  instructor  in  mechanical 
engineering ;  J.  J.  Morris,  assistant  instructor  in  mechanical  engineering. 

This  department  has  recently  been  provided  with  mechanical  and 
.electrical  laboratories  and  shops,  and  with  recitation  and  drawing  rooms, 
all  well  equipped  with  the  necessary  machinery,  apparatus,  and  tools 
required  for  illustrating  and  investigating  the  principles  of  mechanical 
and  electrical  engineering,  with  reference  to  their  practical  applica- 
tions. 

These  are  located  in  a  large  building  constructed  for  the  purpose  in 
ctmnection  with  tlie  Central  Head  and  Light  Station,  from  which  all  the 
buildings  ot  the  University,  over  a  space  of  forty  acres,  are  supplied 
with  steam  heat,  forced  ventilation,  and  electricity  for  power  and  light. 
A  very  large  and  practical  working  plant,  containing  various  tyj)es  of 
boilers,  engines,  and  electrical  machinery  is  thus  made  additionally 
useful  in  illustration  of  the  teaching  of  the  department, 
-^  The  instruction  for  students  in  mechanical  engineering  is  eminently 
practical,  and  is  given  fey  recitations,  lectures,  and  exercises  in  the 
laboratory.  The  recitations  are  i>rincipally  from  text-books,  which  thus 
form  the  basis  for  the  work  to  be  done  in  each  subject.  AVhenever  these 
are  not  available  the  instruction  takes  the  form  of  lectures,  with  use  of 
the  books  of  reference  in  the  Kogers  Engineering  Library  and  in  the 
private  collections  of  the  professors.  To  render  the  work  of  the  student 
regular  from  day  to  day,  and  to  assure  self-reliance  in  study  and  cer- 
tainty that  the  principles  of  the  subjects  are  thoroughly  understood, 
whenever  possible,  practical  i)roblems  are  given  to  the  class  for  solu 
tion. 

The  subject  of  applied  mechanics  is  divided  into  a  number  of  parts 
for  facility  of  instruction,  and  is  taught  under  the  following  heads: 

Grax)Mcal  statics,  under  Avhich  is  taught  the  general  theory  of  the 
grai)hical  method  of  determining  the  strain  in  framed  structures,  and  its 
practical  application  to  numerous  examples. 

Statics,  as  applied  to  rigid  bodies,  the  strength  and  elasticity  of 
materials,  and  forms  of  uniform  strength.  As  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  this  branch  of  the  subject  is  indispensable  to  a  well  equipped  en- 
gineer, the  class-room  instruction  is  made  as  exhaustive  as  possible, 
and  each  student  is  required  to  carry  out,  on  the  testing  machine  in  the 


304  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

laborattuy,  a  series  of  experiments  in  tension,  compression,  and  cross- 
breaking".  The  work  in  this  branch  is  continned  until  the  instructor  is 
satisfied  that  tlie  subject  is  thoronglily  understood. 

HydroHtatica  and  hydraulics,  embracing  the  equilibrium  and  pressure 
of  fluids,  determination  of  specific  gravity,  velocity,  and  flow  in  pipes, 
channels  and  jets,  continuity  of  flow,  etc. 

Ki nematics J  under  wMvAi  head  is  taught  the  principles  underlying  ele- 
mentary combination  of  mechanism,  theory  o^  the  teeth  of  wheels,  and 
the  practical  methods  of  Ijiying  them  down,  cams,  belts,  pulleys,  speed 
cones,  and  link  work,  epicyclic  trains,  and  other  aggregate  combinations 
of  mechanism. 

Hydrodynamics,  covering  dynamic  head,  contracted  veins,  surfaces  of 
equal  pressure  and  head,  laws  of  fluid  friction,  hydraulic  mean  depth, 
resistance  of  mouthpiece,  pressure  of  jets  and  water  meters.  The' 
theory  and  practice  of  building  water  wheels  and  turbines  are  also  given. 

As  a  sound  knowledge  of  steam  engineering  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant parts  of  a  mechanical  engineei  ing  training,  a  large  proi)ortion 
of  the  time  is  devoted  to  this  snbject.  The  work  is  divided  into  several 
branches,  and  extends  over  the  last  years  of  the  course. 

Nomenclature. — An  elementary  course  in  the  general  nomenclature  of 
the  steam  engine  and  boiler  and  their  attachments  is  given  in  the  junior 
year.  The  ordinary  forms  of  engines  and  boilers  are  described,  and  the 
general  details  of  cylinders,  valves,  pistons,  connecting  rods,  bearings, 
indicators,  gauges,  x^tc,  rendered  familiar  by  blackboard  sketches  and 
by  the  practical  use  of  the  apparatus  in  the  workshops  and  laborato- 
ries. To  make  the  students  more  conversajit  with  ordinary  forms  of 
engineering  appliances,  their  fundamental  differences  or  similarities, 
and  many  of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  their  use,  a  more 
extended  course  is  given  in  senior  years. 

A  majority  of  the  jmmps,  gauges,  indicators,  dynanometers,  speed- 
iiulicators,  and  counters,  and  other  appliam-es  in  common  use  are  thor- 
oughly studied.  Trade  circulars,  a  complete  set  of  which  is  kept  in  the 
dcj)artment,  are  used  to  a  very  great  extent  for  examides. 

The  steam  engine. — In  junior  year  is  given  a  full  course  on  the 
Zeuner  diagram,  as  ai)plied  to  slide  valves;  and  in  the  cases  of  many 
of  the  automatic  cut oft'engines,  now  so  common,  W\<i  method  of  apply- 
ing the  Zeuner  diagram  to  designing  is  taught.  The  radial  gears,  such 
as  the  Hackworth,  Marshall  and  Joy,  are  treated  in  the  same  way,  and 
in  nearly  all  (rases  the  ac(;uracy  of  the  Zeuner  diagram  is  shown  from 
actual  examples. 

In  the  senior  year  the  designing  of  the  parts  of  the  steam  engine  is 
begun.  All  those  parts  which  must  be  designed  from  a  consideration 
f»f  th<^  stresses  acting  on  them  are  first  considered,  and  the  method  of 
ai)plying  the  formulic  of  statics  shown.  Each  student  is  then  assigned 
one  of  the  more  familiar  types  of  engines,  such  as  the  Armington  and 
Sims,  Porter-Allen,  Corliss,  Ball,  or  Westinghouse,  and  is  required  to 


THE    TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  305 

design  the  principal  parts  of  the  engine,  using  his  calcalations  wliere 
the  question  of  strength  enters,  and  studying  the  i)articular  type  for 
the  details,  wliich  can  only  be  determined  by  experience.  Working 
sketches  and  many  of  the  working  drawings  of  the  engines  are  made. 

Steam  boilers. — The  study  of  steam  boilers  is  taken  up  in  uuicli  the 
same  manner  as  that  of  the  steam  engine.  The  methods  of  determining 
the  sizes  of  the  parts  from  a  consideration  of  their  strength,  such  as  the 
thickness  of  shell,  size  of  rivets,  braces,  furnaces,  etc.,  the  character  and 
physical  properties  of  the  materials  used  in  the  construction  and  the 
operation  of  the  boilers  are  discussed.  The  methods  of  constructing 
boilers  of  diflFerent  types,  with  their  advantages  and  disadvantages; 
boiler  mountings,  and  the  proper  and  improper  methods  of  connection ; 
considerations  afiecting  the  life  of  a  boiler;  boiler  explosions;  the 
methods  of  determining  the  efficiency  of  fuels,  of  heating  surfaces  and 
of  boilers,  and  the  usual  methods  of  calculating  and  erecting  chinmeys 
are  treated  in  their  turn.  Each  student  is  required  to  make  the  princi- 
pal calculations  for  one  of  the  well-known  boilers,  and  to  make  working 
sketches  and  drawings  from  his  own  designs. 

Thermodynamics. — In  the  i)Ost-senior  year  the  subject  of  thermody- 
namics, as  applied  to  perfect  and  imperfect  gases,  is  taught,  and  the 
principles  are  aj^plied  to  the  solution  of  jiractical  questions  i>ertaining 
to  air,  gas,  and  steam  engines,  refrigerating  machinery,  injectors,  con- 
densers, etc. 

The  steam  laboratory  has  been  newly  fitted  with  a  complete  set  of 
apparatus  for  carrying  out  tests  in  steam  engineering.  A  new  steel 
boiler  of  25-horse  power  capacity  is  fitted  for  making  boiler  tests,  the 
water  supply  being  so  arranged  that  the  water  can  be  drawn  from 
tanks  or  fed  through  a  meter.  A  10  by  24  Hamilton-Corliss  engine  is 
especially  fitted  for  test  purposes.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Fred- 
erick M.  Wheeler,  the  department  has  been  furnished  with  a  surface 
condenser,  so  that  the  steam  from  the  engine  can  be  discharged  into 
the  condenser  or  into  the  air,  thus  enabling  the  students  to  measure  the 
quantity  of  steam  used  after  passing  through  tlie  eugine.  Indic^ator 
rigging  is  provided,  and  the  department  is  well  supplied  with  indicators, 
speed  counters  and  indicators,  planimeters,  and  special  gauges,  and  all 
apparatus  necessary  for  carrying  out  routine  or  special  work  in  this  di- 
rection. Calorimeters  of  the  various  types  are  in  use,  and  i)rovision  is 
made  for  comparing  and  standardizing  gauges,  indicators,  thermometers, 
and  all  apparatus  used  in  the  tests.  This  engine  is  fitted  with  a  brake 
for  absorbing  and  measuring  the  power  given  oft'  by  the  engine,  or  it 
may  be  connected  with  a  line  of  shafting  in  the  laboratory  for  the  pur- 
pose of  running  the  other  apparatus  in  this  department.  A  Thurston 
standard  oil  ti'sting  machine  is  used  for  carrying  out  tests  on  oils,  and 
the  50,000-pound  testing  machine  and  Thurston  torsion  machine  are 
used  for  experimental  purposes.  Dynamometers  of  dift'erent  kinds,  to 
fit  different  experimental  work  carried  out,  are  provided,  so  that  a 
1180 20 


306  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

student  has  an  opportunity  of  studying  and  exi)erimentiiig  with  the 
apparatus  usually  used  in  making  mechanical  tests. 

Shopwork. — A  large  floor  space  i^  set  apart  for  work  in  wood  and 
metals.  Provision  is  made  for  the  instruction  of  10  students  in  wood 
work  an»l  10  in  iron  work  at  the  same  time,  and  a  competent  mechanic 
is  in  charge  of  each  division,  under  the  direction  of  the  head  of  the 
department,  thus  insuring  const-ant  and  careful  supervision  of  the  work 
of  every  student.  Each  bench  is  supplied  with  a  complete  set  of  the 
tools  necesvsary  to  carry  on  the  general  ^\'ork,  and  special  tools  are 
issued  as  needed.  All  the  work  is  done  to  blue  prints  of  working 
drawings  made  in  the  dei^artment.  The  course  extends  over  two 
years,  and  the  time  is  equally  divided  between  the  two  shops.  Dar- 
ing the  junior  year  the  student  learns  in  the  wood  shop  the  methods 
of  handling  the  tools,  keeping  them  in  good  order,  making  joints  and 
similar  work.  A  part  of  the  time  is  spent  on  the  wood  lathe.  In  the 
iron  shop  cast-iron  blocks  are  provided,  which  are  finished  with  the 
file  or  scraper,  the  student  getting  a  good  idea  of  the  use  of  the  ham- 
mer and  chisel.  About  one-third  of  the  time  is  spent'on  the  drill-press 
and  lathes,  turning,  by  the  aid  of  the  hand  tools,  to  drawings  furnished. 
In  the  senior  year  the  work  done  in  the  wood  shoj)  consists  of  making 
patterns  from  working  drawings,  which  have  been  made  by  the  students 
from  standard  machinery  or  from  their  own  design.  In  the  iron  shop 
the  work  consists  of  finishing  castings  made  from  the  patterns  con- 
structed in  the  wood  shop,  fitting  parts  of  machinery,  the  use  of  hand 
tools  for  cutting  threads,  and  a  short  course  in  jdpc  fitting,  thus  giving 
an  idea  of  the  tools  and  fittings  used  in  ordinary  work.  The  University 
does  not  seek  to  train  students  in  the  use  of  machine  tools,  deeming  it 
better  to  employ  available  time  in  the  training  of  hand  and  brain  to- 
gether by  a  thorough  mastering  of  the  principles  governing  really 
manual  acts;  hence,  the  laboratory  does  not  include  an  elaborate  equip- 
ment in  tools,  the  fashion  and  use  of  which  are  continually  changing. 

Electrical  Engineering. — A  course  in  electrical  engineering,  extending 
over  parts  of  two  years,  has  been  established  in  this  department.  Tlie 
work  l)egins  in  senior  year  mth-a  discussion  of  quantity,  potential, 
current,  resistance,  electrostatic  measurement,  magnetism  and  magnetic 
measurement,  electromagnetic  measurement,  and  the  units  adopted  in 
practice.  The  course  then  treats  of  the  measurement  of  cuiTents,  the 
construction,  calibration,  and  use  of  galvanomet^-rs,  the  measurement 
of  diflcrcnce  of  potential,  (pumtity,  resistance,  a  study  of  batteries,  insu- 
lation tests  and  the  ai)i)aratus  used,  the  constructing,  testing,  and  ad- 
vantages of  different  ammeters  and  voltmeters,  measurement  of  power 
and  efficiency  of  dynamos  and  motors,  and  the  efficiency  and  life  of  in- 
candescent lamps. 

The  theory  of  dynamo  electric  machines  is  taken  up,  and  the  charac- 
teristii's  of  each  of  the  different  types  are  studied.  Motors  are  studied 
in  their  theoretical  and  prjictical  asi>ects.     Lectures  are  given  on  elec- 


THE_  TOWNE    SCIENTIFIC    SCHOOL.  307 

trie  lighting-,  wiring  on  the  different  systems,  and  the  theory  and  prac. 
tical  management  of  accumulators. 

The  (jourse  in  the  electrical  laboratory  covers  the  use  of  all  the  test 
apparatus  for  measuring  currents,  resistances,  insulation  and  capacity, 
the  testing  of  dynamos  and  motors,  storage  batteries  and  commercial 
ammeters  and  voltmeters.  The  .apparatus  in  this  department  is  being 
rapidly  increased,  and  now  contains  galvanometers,  resistance  boxes, 
keys,  and  other  ai)paratus  from  the  best  American  and  foreign  makers. 
The  classes  are  limited  in  size,  thereby  having  the  work  of  each  student 
carefully  overlooked  by  the  instructor  in  charge  of  the  work. 

B.   DEGREES. 

The  degree  of  bachelor  of  science  (B.  S.)  is  given  to  students  in  the 
Towne  Scientific  School  at  the  end  of  the  senior  year.  The  technical 
degree  of  practical  chemist  (P.  C),  mining  engineer  (E.  M.),  civil  engi- 
neer (C.  E.),  or  mechanical  engineer  (M.  E.)  is  given  to  bachelors  of 
science  in  the  Towne  School  at  the  end  of  the  post-senior  year.  Alumni 
of  the  Towne  School,  who  hold  a  bachelor's  degree,  may  receive  the 
^  technical  degree  corresponding  to  their  special  course  on  completing 
satisfactorily  at  any  time  the  studies  of  post-senior  year. 

The  number  of  students  attending  instruction  inthe  Towne  Scientific 
School  during  the  college  year  1892-'93  is  292.  Of  these,  the  Post- 
Seniors  number  15;  the  Seniors,  57;  the  Juniors,  59;  the  Sophomores, 
86,  and  the  Freshmen,  85.  Of  the  Juniors,  23  take  mechanical  and 
18  civil  engineering,  10  mining,  and  8  chemistry.  Of  the  Seniors,  18  take 
mechanical  and  10  civil  engineering,  and  19  mining  and  chemistry.  Of 
the  Post- Seniors,  8  are  mechanical  engineers,  4  civil  engineers,  and  3 
(jhemists. 

FOUR- YEAR  TECHNICAL  COURSES. 

In  1891,  four-year  technical  courses  were  established  in  mechanical 
and  electrical  engineering,  in  civil  engineering,  and  in  chemistry.  The 
four-year  course  in  mechanical  engineering  begins  in  the  first  year 
with  those  subjects  which  do  not  require  an  extended  preparation  in 
mathematics,  and  is  intended  to  give  in  the  early  years  the  necessary 
mathematics  and  physics  required  for  more  advanced  work.  No  sub- 
jects are  taken  outside  of  those  directly  pertaining  to  tlie  work  of  the 
mechanical  engineer,  and  thus  a  somewhat  larger  amount  of  time  can 
be  devoted  to  the  strictly  technical  branch  of  the  work.  In  this  course 
suflScient  electrical  engineering  is  given  to  make  the  students  familiar 
with  the  principal  applications  of  electricity  to  engineering  problems. 

The  course  in  electrical  engineering  begins  with  the  first  year,  and 
for  the  first  two  years  is  identical  with  the  four-year  course  in  me- 
chanical engineering.  After  the  end  of  tlie  second  year  the  class  de- 
votes more  time  to  the  electrical  work,  although  sufficient  mechanical 
work  is  retained  in  the  course  to  enable  the  students  to  understand 
much  of  the  practical  details  of  mechanical  engineering. 


308  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA., 

The  course  in  t'heniistry  during  the  first  year  consists  in  the  execu- 
tion of  a  rather  extended  series  of  experiments  upon  the  nonmetals 
and  metals.  The  student  will  only  omit  those  of  greater  difficulty  and 
such  as  require  a  skillful  manipulator  for  their  performance.  In  addi- 
tion, he  will  attend  lectures  and  recitations  and  will  be  obliged  to 
solve  numerous  examples  based  upon  the  various  reactions  that  he 
conducts  practically.  The  skill  and  familiarity  with  chemical  methods 
acquired  in  this  way  will  fully  prepare  him  for  the  work  of  the  second 
year,  which  will  be  mainly  analytical,  though  considerable  time  will  be 
allotted  to  the  preparation  of  a  well-selected  series  of  inorganic  salts. 

In  quantitative  analysis  he  will  be  given  every  opportunity  to  familiar- 
ize himself  with  pure  scientific  methods  in  gravimetric,  electrolytic,  and 
volumetric  analysis,  also  with  gas  analysis  and  the  methods  of  technical 
analysis  applied  in  the  various  branches  of  chemistry.  The  instruction 
in  theoretical  chemistry  will  be  imparted  by  lectures;  that  in  applied 
chemistry  by  lectures  not  only  by  the  regularly  appointed  pro- 
fessors, but  also  by  invited  specialists,  and  further  supplemented  by 
frequent  visits  to  chemical  plants  in  this  and  adjacent  cities.  The 
lectures  and  recitations  in  organic  chemistry  will  be  conducted  paral- 
lel with  practical  work  upon  this  subject.  The  aim  will  be  to  have  the 
student  prepare  typical  substances  from  the  whole  field  of  organic 
chemistry.  The  most  recent  methods  of  analysis  peculiar  to  this  field 
will  receive  due  attention.  Iii  the  fourth  year,  the  candidate  will  have 
the  greater  portion  of  his  time  to  devote  entirely  to  the  principal  sub- 
ject and  will  be  offered  the  privilege  of  prosecuting  chemical  work  in 
the  direction  of  pure  inorganic,  organic,  or  technical  chemistry.  The 
solution  of  sonic  problem  in  one  of  these  departments  will  constitute 
the  thesis  which  he  will  be  expected  to  prepare  before  presenting  him- 
self for  his  final  examination. 

For  admission  to  the  four-year  courses  in  mechanical,  electrical,  and 
civil  engineering  the  student  must  be  prepared,  in  addition  to  the  subjects 
required  of  all  candidates  for  admission  to  the  scientific  department,  to 
pass  examinations  in  plane  trigonometry  and  the  use  of  logarithms  in 
elementary  ])hysics  and  in  French  or  German.  For  admission  to  the 
four-year  course  iu  chemistry  the  only  additional  subject  required  is 
French  or  German. 

Upon  the  successful  completion  of  the  four-year  course  in  one  of  the 
subjects  above  named  the  student  will  receive  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Science  in  mechanical  engineering,  in  electrical  engineering,  in  civil 
engineering  or  in  chemistry,  corresponding  to  the  course  which  he  has 
pursued.  These  Bachelors  of  Science  of  threa  years'  standing,  are 
given  the  technical  degree  iu  the  same  subject  on  giving  evidence  that 
they  iiave  made  marked  progress  in  their  professions,  and  on  submit- 
ting a  satisfactory  thesis.  The  degree  of  Master  of  Science  is  con- 
ferred upon  Bachelors  of  Science  after  cue  year  of  resident  graduate 
study. 


Chapter  XI. 
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  DENTISTRY. 


A  quite  general  impression  i)revails  that  dentistry  has  had  the  largest 
share  of  development  in  this  country;  indeed  by  many  it  is  supposed  to 
have  had  its  origin  as  a  profession  in  America.  The  first  statement  can 
not  probably  be  disputed,  and  the  reason  for  this  may  be  found  in  a  com- 
bination of  physical  and  mental  conditions;  the  physical  in  temporary 
degeneration,  doubtless  caused  by  climate,  food,  mixing  of  races;  in  a 
word,  all  the  disturbing  elements  consequent  upon  the  developing  of 
virgin  land  to  a  new  civilization,  and  the  active  mentality,  the  result 
of  the  necessities  of  environment. 

The  origin  of  dentistry  seems  to  be  lost  in  remote  antiquity,  and  as 
the  Egyptians  were  the  first  to  cultivate  medicine,  so  we  find  the  first 
evidence  among  that  people  of  dental  operations.  Herodotus  (5(K)  B.  C) 
writes  "ofthis  mother  of  the  arts  and  sciences"  that  "some  (physicians) 
are  for  the  eyes,  others  for  the  head,  others  for  the  teeth,  and  others 
for  other  internal  disorders;"  but  at  no  period  up  to  the  middle  of  the 
l)resent  century  was  any  attempt  made  to  combine  the  crude  elements 
and  crystallize  them  into  a  profession.  The  work  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, confined  to  a  few  able  men  in  England  and  France,  served  to  rescue 
the  subject  from  the  lower  grades  of  empiricism ;  but  failed,  in  their 
single  efforts,  to  raise  a  standard  worthy  the  respect  of  scientific  men. 
The  pnictice  was  mainly  confined  to  two  classes,  the  mechanic  and  the 
medically  trained  surgeon.  Both  of  these  were,  in  their  way,  imjjerfect, 
and  made  up  of  incompatible  elements.  Hence  the  results  were,  neces- 
sarily, crude  in  every  direction  and  progress  was  impossible.  This 
condition  of  things,  in  the  older  civilizations,  was  transplanted  to 
America  with,  for  a  time,  similar  results. 

The  first  dentist  on  record  in  Philadelphia  was  Mr.  John  Woofen- 
dale,  who  arrived  from  England  in  177G»  He  practiced  in  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  but  a  short  time,  returning  to  England.  From  this 
date  (1776)  to  near  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war  there  was  but 
one  dentist  in  this  city,  a  Mr.  Baker.  In  1 783  Iavo  are  mentioned  in 
the  directory,  Mr.  John  Baker  and  Mr.  John  Gardette.  Joseph  Le 
Mayeur,  a  French  dentist,  came  to  this  country  with  the  French  army 
and  established  himself  in  Philadelphia  in  1784.  He  was  probably  the 
first  in  the  United  States  to  i)erforni  the  operation  of  transplanting 
teeth  (Watson's  Annals).    From  these  beginnings,  here  and  elsewhere, 

309 


310  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

the  dental  i)i<)fes.sioii  had  its  rise  a  century  ago  iu  this  coimtry,  and 
from  tliis  huiuble  and  isolated  origin  lias  grown  the  splendid  array  ot 
<olleges,  instructors,  and  educ.ited  men,  a  result  unparalleled  in  any 
epoch  and  in  any  profession  in  an  equal  period  of  time. 

The  earlier  training  of  dental  students  was  necessarily  contiued  to 
private  instruction.  The  laboratory  was  the  principal  if  not  the  only 
school,  and  whatever  of  surgery  was  required  was  picked  up  by  ob- 
servation or  was  secured  by  taking  the  medical  degree.  The  latter 
course  was  the  one  adopted  by  a  limited  number  after  a  more  or  less 
thorough  training  in  the  mechanical  laboratory.  This  gave  a  somewhat 
better  position  to  the  few;  but  their  efforts  were  too  isolated  to  etfectany 
marked  improvement  in  the  status  of  the  calling,  and  dentistry  failed  to 
receive  much  respect  fi'om  the  profession  to  which  it  was  most  closely 
allied,  that  of  medicine.  The  efforts  of  such  men  as  Harris,  Hayden, 
Bond,  Arthur,  Townsend,  and  Westcott  led  to  the  formation  of  dental 
associations,  and  from  these  grew  the  Dental  College.  As  early  as  1817 
Dr.  Hayden  advocated  the  idea  of  a  national  convention  of  dentists,  but 
the  numbers  were  too  few  in  the  country  at  that  time  and  lacked  that 
intelligent  appreciation  of  its  importance  to  make  the  suggestion  a 
success.  He  accomplished  his  desire,  however,  in  1840,  and  became 
the  president  of  the  first  American  Society  of  Dental  Surgeons,  Dr. 
Hayden  may,  therefore,  justly  be  regarded  as  the  father  of  the  Ameri- 
can educational  methods  iu  dentistry. 

The  decade  from  1830  to  1840  was  a  marked  epoch  in  the  history  of 
dentistry,  and  from  this  period  may  be  dated  its  formation  as  a  scientific 
botly.  In  1839  the  attempt  was  mlide  to  organize  the  first  Dental  Col- 
lege of  the  world  under  the  title  of  the  "  Baltimore  College  of  Dental 
Surgery."  The  faculty  was  originally  composed  as  follows:  Horace 
H.  Hayden,  M.  D.,  president,  principles  of  dental  science;  Chapin  A. 
Harris,  m.  d.,  dean,  theory  and  practice  of  dental  surgery  and  theory 
and  practice,  of  dental  mechanism;  Thomas  E.  Bond,  M.  D.,  dental 
pathology  and  therapeutics;  H.  Willis  Baxley,  m.  D.,  anatomy  and 
])hysiology. 

This  organization  was  followed  in  1845  by  the  formation  of  the  Ohio 
Dental  ('ollege,  located  in  Cincinnati.  This  by  the  Transylvania  School 
of  Dentistry  in  Kentucky,  in  18.50,  and  the  New  York  College  of  Dental 
Surgery  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  iu  18.52.  Both  of  the  two  last  named  had 
but  a  short  existence.  In  May,  1850,  a  charter  was  granted  for  the 
IMiiladelphia  College  of  Dental  Surgery.  As  this  college  was  indirectly 
the  foundation  uiwn  which  was  eventually  reared  the  Dental  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  it  is  of  interest  to  know  of 
what  material  the  original  faculty  was  composed.  It  was  as  follows: 
J.  D.  White,  M.  D.,  D.  D.  s.,  anatomy  and  physiology;  Ely  Parry,  M.  D., 
D.  D.  s.,  chemistry,  materia  medica,  and  special  therapeutics;  Robert 
Arthur,  D.  D.  s.,  principles  of  dental  surgery;  Elisha  Townsend,  M.  D., 
D.  D.  s.,  operative  dentistry,  and   dean;   T.  L.  Buckingham,  M.  D., 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF   DENTISTRY.  311 

inodiauical  dentistry;  1).  R.  Whi|>i)l(',  m.  d.,  demonstrator  of  surgical 
and  mecbanical  dentistry. 

But  one  of  the  members  of  this  fa(;ulty  is  now  living,  Dr.  J.  1).  White; 
but  they  were  all  men  of  marked  ability  in  many  directions,  and  exer- 
cised a  power  which  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  rousing  attention 
to  the  superior  character  of  American  dentistry  abroad  and  in  widening 
its  influence  at  home. 

This  school  had  but  a  four  years'  lease  of  life.  Difficulties  arose  be- 
tween the  faculty  and  the  Board  of  Trustees,  resulting  in  separation 
and  the  procurement  of  a  new  charter  in  1850  under  the  name  of  "The 
Pennsylvania  College  of  Dental  Surgery."  The  same  Faculty  continued 
to  perform  the  duties.  Since  then,  through  various  changes,  the  school 
has  flourished  and  still  remains  one  of  the  prominent  educational  insti- 
tutions of  Philadelphia.  In  1876  the  resignation  of  Prof.  James  Truman 
and  the  death  of  Prof.  E.  Wildman  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  B. 
T.  Darby,  D.  D.  S.,  and  Charles  J.  Essig,  M.  D.,  D.  D.  S.,  to  fill  the  re- 
spective chairs. 

The  dental  colleges  of  this  country  in  their  earlier  organization,  adopted 
an  almost  fatal  rule,  that  five  years'  actual  practice  would  be  regarded 
equivalent  to  one  year's  study  at  college.  This  was  done  with  the  view 
of  inducing  those  in  practice  to  take  the  degree,  and  thus,  it  was  hopeti, 
all,  in  time,  would  be  enrolled  into  a  compact  and  vigorous  body.  This 
proved  to  be  an  error.  While  it  had  the  effect  with  a  few,  the  larger 
number  who  took  advantage  of  it  were  young  men,  some  of  whom  re- 
sorted to  false  certificates  to  obtain  the  end  desired.  The  practical  re- 
sult was  that  men  were  being  graduated  in  one  session,  with  little  or  no 
previous  training.  This  scandal  became  of  world-wide  notoriety,  sink- 
ing all  dental  schools  into  contempt,  in  the  opinion  of  good  men  here 
and  abroad,  and  promised  shortly  to  carry  the  name  of  American  dentistry 
-to  a  lower  depth  than  it  occupied  at  its  origin.  This  unpleasant  condi- 
tion naturally  led  the  better  class  of  dental  instructors  to  urge  the 
adoption  of  some  plan  for  iminovement.  Having  this  in  view  the  faculty 
of  the  Baltimore  College  of  Dental  Surgery,  in  1884,  requested  a  con- 
ference with  the  executive  oflicers  of  the  three  colleges  in  Philadelphia. 
At  this  conference  it  was  proposed  and  adopted  to  call  a  meeting  of 
delegates  from  all  the  colleges  of  dentistry  in  the  United  States  to  con- 
vene in  New  Y-ork  August  4,  1884.  At  this  meeting  thirteen  colleges 
were  rei^resented,  eleven  by  delegates  and  two  by  letteii  After  par- 
tially effecting  an  organization  the  conference  adjourned  to  Saratoga, 
N.  Y.,  where  the  American  Dental  Association  was  in  session.  The 
final  outcome  was  the  formation  of  "  The  National  Association  of  Dental 
Faculties."  At  this  meeting  it  was  ordered  that  all  colleges  connected 
with  this  association  should  adopt  two  regular  courses  of  instruction  in 
separate  years,  before  a  final  examination.  The  influence  of  this  meet- 
ing was  so  marked  that  the  principal  colleges,  whether  represented  or 
not,  adopted  this  rule,  and  at  subsequent  annual  meetings  other  schools 


312  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

api>lied  for  admission  aud  were  enrolled  in  the  membership  of  the 
association,  until  in  May,  1890,  the  membershii)  consisted  of  twenty- 
live  colleges,  the  entire  number,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  in  the 
country. 

The  work  of- tbis 'association  would,  i)r()bably,  have  failed  to  effect 
the  desired  end  but  for  the  fact  that  the  various  State  legislatures 
were  appealetl  to  by  the  members  of  the  profession  to  enact  laws  regu- 
lating the  practice  of  dentistry.  This  was  gradually  accomplished, 
and  now  nearly  all  the  States  under  this  Government  have  laws  regu- 
lating its  i)ractice.  These  vary  in  character,  some  requiring  examina- 
tions of  all  persons,  whether  holding  a  diploma  or  not;  others  simply 
demand  the  registration  of  the  diploma.  The  board  of  examiners  of 
each  State  sends  a  delegate  to  the  National  Association  of  Dental 
Examiners  that  convenes  yearly  at  the  same  time  and  place  as  the 
National  Association  of  Dental  Faculties  and  operates  in  harmony  with 
it  and  gives  legal  force  to  its  decisions. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Association  of  Dental  Faculties  held  at  Saratoga 
August,  1889,  an  important  advance  was  made  in  dental  education,  the 
following  resolution  having  been  passed : 

Attemlanco  upon  three  full  regular  courses  of  not  less  than  five  months  each,  in 
separate  years,  shall  be  required  before  examination  for  graduation. 

It  was  subsequently  decided  that  this  should  go  into  effect  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  session  of  1891-'92.  This  decision  was  subsequently  in- 
dorsed by  the  National  Association  of  Dental  Examiners  and  became, 
by  this  action,  obligatory  upon  all  State  boards.  This  rule  of  the  Associa- 
tion of  Dental  Faculties  placed  the  dental  schools  in  advance  of  the 
medical  colleges  of  the  country  in  point  of  time.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
this  is  but  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  changes  that  will  eventuate  in 
basing  dental  education  on  a  suie  foundation  and  in  effectually  eradi- 
cating from  its  ranks  the  last  element  of  charlatanry,  which  has  been 
its  opprobrium  from  the  earliest  i)eriod . 

The  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  Faculty,  adopted  the  three  years'  course  pro- 
IKJsed,  and  it  was  so  stated  in  the  aimouucement  for  1890. 

HISTORY    OP    THE    DEPARTMENT     OF     DENTISTRY^    UNIVERSITY     OF 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  advances  made  in  the  standard  of  dental  education  and  the  large 
classes  in  all  the  dental  schools  naturally  led  the  educatcns  of  the 
higher  institutions  to  regard  the  <leiital  profession  and  their  efforts  in  a 
njorc  favorable  light,  and  to  look  upon  them  with  more  respect  than 
they  had  i)revion8ly  be<'n  willing  U)  acicord.  It  was  clearly  seen  that 
eventually  dentistry  would  (uther  stand  as  an  iiulependent  profession 
or  it  would  become  a  specialty  in  medicine.  This  latter  idea  was  the 
prevailing  one,  and  in  order  to  hasten  the  result  it  was  regarded  as 


r»^^w.  >    "^ 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    DENTISTRY.  313 

vital  that  all  these  scliools  sliouUl  l)e  absorbed  and  become  part  of  ined 
ical  colleges  and  universities.  That  this  idea  met  with  opposition  from 
both  sides,  the  iiiedical  and  dental,  can  readily  be  understood,  but  this 
has  so  far  been  outgrown  t  liat  a  large  number  of  the  most  influential  den- 
tal colleges  are  now  connected  with  medical  colleges  and  universities  as 
departments,  or  closely  affiliated  with  them  in  other  ways.  The  pres- 
ent outlook  seems  to  be  that  it  will  be  but  a  few  years  before  their  sepa- 
ration as  distinct  colleges  will  cease. 

The  first  school  organized  as  a  department  of  a  university  was  that 
of  Harvard,  in  1807,  under  the  title  of  The  Harvard  Dental  School. 
This  was  followed  in  1875  by  The  Dental  College  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  and  in  1878  the  first  move  was  made  to  organize  the  Depart- 
ment of  Dentistry  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  This  is  shown 
in  the  following  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  as  a 
matter  of  historical  interest  they  are  appended. 

Phii.adelimiia,  March  6,  1873. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  pf  Trustees  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  there  be  a  Dental  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Jiesoh'ed,  That  tliis  department  he  under  the  government  of  a  Faculty  of  Den- 
tistry, subject  to  the  general  rules  adopted  by  the  Hoard  of  Trustees. 

lienolved,  That  tlie  Faculty  consist  of  the  following  professors:  (A)  Professor  of 
Mechanical  Dentistry  and  Metallurgy;  (B)  Professor  of  Operative  Dentistry  and 
Dental  Histology;  (C)  Professor  of  Anatomy;  (D)  Professor  of  Physiology;  (E) 
Professor  of  Chemistry;  (F)  Professor  of  Materia  Medica;  (G)  Professor  of  General 
Pathology  ;  that  the  chairs  of  Anatomy,  Chemistry,  Physiology,  Materia  Medica,  and 
General  Pathology  be  filled  cx-officio  by  tlie  corresi)onding  professors  of  the  Faculty 
of  Medicine. 

Resolved,  That  the  lectures  be  delivered  in  the  Medical    Hall  and  the  practical  ip 
struction  be  given  in  the  proposed  laboratory  building. 

The  building  alluded  to  in  the  fiu'egoing  resolution  is  described  in 
the  first  announcement  of  1878-'70: 

For  the  accommodation  of  the  Operative  Clinic,  the  Board  of  Trustees  have 
ordered  the  erection  of  an  additional  building,  at  a  cost  of  $.55,000.  The  operating 
room  alone  will  be  140  feet  in  length  by  40  feet  in  width,  and  as  the  building  will 
not  adjoin,  though  it  be  in  close  proximity  to  the  main  Medical  Hall,  it  will  be 
.lighted  by  windows  on  all  sides,  thus  affording  360  feet  of  window  frontage.  The 
ainangement  of  the  windows,  so  as  to  command  the  best  light,  has  received  careful 
consideration,  and  wo  may  also  safely  say  that  it  will  be  unequaled  in  America. 
The  second  and  third  floors  will  be  devoted  to  practical  laboratory  work  in  chemis- 
try ;  their  dimensions  will  be  the  same  as  the  Dental  Clinic  Room,  and  will  be  used 
in  common  by  the  students  of  both  the  Dental  and  Medical  departments. 

The  resignation  in  1876  of  James  Truman,  d.  d.  s.,  and  the  death  of 
B.  Wildman,  M.  B.,  D.  D.  s.,  of  the  Pennsylvania  College  of  Dental  Sur- 
gery, previously  alluded  to,  was  followed  by  the  appointment  of  Edwin 
T.  Darby,  D.  d.  s.,  and  Charles  J.  Essig,  m.  d.,  d.  d.  s.,  to  the  respective 
Chairs  of  Dental  Histology  and  Operative  Dentistry  and  Mechanical 
Dentistry  and  Metallurgy.  Their  duties  Avere  performed  in  this  school 
until  1878,  when  propositions  were  made  by  the  Trustees  of  the  Uni 


314  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

versity  of  Pennsylvania  looking*  to  tlio  union  of  this  College  with  the 
University  as  a  separate  department.  This  pro])osition  Avas  not  ac- 
cepted by  tlu'  faenlty  as  a  unit,  but  was  favorably  considered  by  Pro- 
fessiH's  Essig  and  Darby,  Avho  tendered  their  resignations  as  professors 
in  the  Pennsylvania  OolIe§:e  of  Dental  Surgery,  and  entered  upon  the 
work  of  organizing  the  Department  of  Dentistry  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  thus  making  three  schools  in  Philadel])hia:  Pennsyl- 
vania College  of  Dental  Surgery,  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College,  and 
this  Department.  The  i)revailing  sentiment  at  that  time  was  that  this 
new  candidate  for  educational  favors  would  prove  a  failure,  as  it  was 
regarded  that  the  field  was  already  over  cultivated  in  this  direction. 
The  results  have,  however,  fully  justified  the  wisdom  of  the  originators 
and  reflect  great  credit  on  the  two  gentlemen.  Professors  Essig  and 
Darby,  upon  whom  the  responsibility  and  labor  fell.  In  the  face  of 
almost  insurmountable  difficulties  they  carried  this  school  beyond  th(^ 
point  of  failure  and  organized  it  in  harmony  with  the  wishes  of  the 
governing  power  of  the  University,  so  that  its  standard  of  work  has 
always  been  recognized  as  in  the  advance.  Thus  the  formation  of  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Dental  Surgery,  through  the  efforts  of  White, 
Townsend,  Arthur,  et(?.,  led  up  through  a  continuous  chain  of  circum- 
stances to  the  formation  of  this  department.  This  was  further  in- 
creased by  the  election-  in  1884  of  James  Truman,  D.  d.  s.,  by  the  Board 
of  Trustees,  as  i)rofessor  of  dental  pathology,  therapeutics,  and  den- 
tal materia  medica. 

On  March  15,  1878,  the  faculty  of  the  department  was  organized  as 
follows:  Charles  J.  Stille,  ll.  d.,  provost  of  the  University  and  ex 
officio  president  of  the  faculty;  Charles  J.  Essig,  m.d.,d.d.s.,  professor 
of  mechanical  dentistry  and  metallurgy;  Edwin  T.  Darby,  m.d.,  dd.s.; 
professor  of  operative  dentistry,  dental  histology,  and  dental  i)a- 
pathology;  Joseph  Leidy,  m.  d.,  ll.  D.,  professor  of  anatomy;  Hora- 
tio C.  Wood,  M.  D.,  professor  of  materia  medica,  i)harraacy,  and  gen- 
eral therai)eutics ;  James  Tyson,  m.  d.,  professor  of  i)hysiology,  ad 
interim;  Theodore  (t.  Wormley,  M.  i).,  ll.  d.,  professor  of  chemistry. 

Prof.  (Jharles  J.  Essig  was  elected  secretary,  and  the  work  of  the 
department  began  October  of  the  same  year.  The  faculty  at  this 
session  adopted  the  graded  course,  making  the  examinations  of  the 
first  year  students  in  chemistry  and  materia  medica  final  at  the  close 
of  the  first  year's  session.  * 

This  first  year  began  with  53  matriculates,  and,  as  a  large  number  of 
tbese  ha<l  had  a  i)r('vi<)us  session  in  other  schools,  the  degree  of  doctor 
of  dental  surgery  Avas  conferred  at  its  close,  March  1,  1870,  upon  25 
from  the  following  States  and  cx)untries:  Minnesota,  Michigan,  Iowa, 
Scotland,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  California,  Massachusetts,  Saxony, 
New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Ireland,  Connecticut,  Illinois,  Italy,  Switzerland, 
Canada. 

As  a  matter  of  history,  and  also  as  showing  that  the  then  existing 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    DENTISTRY.  315 

])ieju(lice  made  it  necessary  to  issue  aii  exi)lanatory  circular,  giviuj?  tlu* 
reasons  for  this  step  on  the  i»art  of  the  University,  the  following  quota 
tions  are  made  from  the  one  signed  by  James  Tyson,  M.  d.,  secretary 
of  the  Faculty  of  Medicine : 

So  many  inquiries  have  beeu  made  juul  so  uiuch  misunderstanding  appejirs  to 
exist  with  regard  to  the  Dental  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  its 
relations  to  the  Medical  Department,  that  it  has  been  «leemed  advisable  to  pre- 
pare the  following  circular  letter  for  those  who  may  desire  further  information.  The 
Dental  Department  was  instituted  on  the  princijtle,  now  admitted  by  all  the  better 
class  of  dentists  and  liberally  disposed  physicians,  that  dentistry  should  be  a  specialty 
of  medicine  just  as  ophthalmology,  otology,  etc.,  have  become. 

The  University  of  Pennsylvania  now  proposes  to  establish  a  course,  the  first  ses- 
sion of  which  is  identical  for  medical  and  dental  students  so  far  as  anatomy,  chem- 
istry, physiology,  and  materia  medica  arc  concerned.  As  a  part  of  this  course  is 
included  laboratory  instruction  in  clu'mistry  three  hours  per  week,  in  which  the 
student  personally  practices  the  required  manipulations  uuder  the  direction  of 
demonstrators,  precisely  as  he  does  practical  work  in  mechanical  and  operative 
dentistry.  In  addition  to  this,  the  dental  student  has  the  regular  instruction  from 
the  chairs  of  operative  and  mechanical  dentistry,  which  the  medical  student  does  not, 
of  course,  receive.  For  the  present  the  dental  student  is  excused  from  the  practical 
work  in  the  histological  laboratory  (since  then  this  has  been  added)  two  hours  per 
week  and  Avork  in  the  pharmaceutical  laboratory  two  honrs  per  week.  A  compari- 
son of  these  studies  with  those  of  the  ordinary,  or  dental  curricula,  will  show  that 
the  dental  studeut  of  the  University  jjursues  in  his  first  year  a  course  wider  and 
more  thorough  than  the  medical  student  of  all  but  one  or  two  medical  colleges  in  the 
United  States. 

It  will  be  seen  from  tliis  quotation  that  the  faculty  of  medicine  took  • 
tbe  broad  i)osition  that  the  dental  student  must,  within  certain  lines, 
have  a  standard  equal  to  that  of  the  student  of  medicine.  This  view,  so 
clearly  stated  by  Professor  Tyson,  has  been  adhered  to,  and  from  time  to 
time  clianges  have  been  made  in  the  curriculum  to  advance  this  stand- 
ard, and  it  is  expected  that  this  effort  will  be  continued. 

In  the  eleven  years  of  the  existence  of  this  department  there  have 
been  some  changes  in  the  faculty.  In  1883  James  Truman,  d.  d.  s., 
was  elected  to  till  the  new  chair  created  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  that 
of  dental  pathology,  therapeutics  and  materia  medica.  Prof.  H.  C. 
Wood  resigning  from  the  faculty  as  professor  of  materia  medica.  In 
this  year  Professor  Essig  resigned  the  position  as  secretary  of  the  faculty, 
and  J^rofessor  Truman  was  elected  to  that  position. 

At  the  organization  of  the  department  the  rule  was  adopted  permit- 
ting the  dental  student  to  give  notice  at  the  commencement  of  his 
second  year  that  he  proposed  to  take  a  third  year  and  graduate  in 
medicine.  This  was  to  be  accomplished  by  increasing  the  studies  of  the 
vsecond  year.  This  rule  failed  to  oi)erate  satisfactorily,  and  in  1887  was 
changed  to  one  requiring  the  dental  student  to  take  two  additional 
years  in  medicine  after  graduating  in  dentistry. 

The  Board  of  Trustees,  at  the  request  of  the  faculty,  in  May,  1888, 
added  the  study  of  histf)logy  to  the  curriculum,  and  in  1890  elected 
George  A.  Piersol,  M.  d.,  professor  of  normal  histology,  and  John  Mar- 


31 G  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

shall,  M.  D.,  assistant  professor  of  cliemistry,  and  in  the  same  year,  1890, 
^ve  to  the  chief  executive  officer  the  title  of  Dean,  and  elected  Prof. 
James  Truman,  the  secretary,  to  that  i)osition. 

BUILDINGS. 

The  Dental  Department  occupies  parts  of  two  buildings,  one  known 
as  Medical  Hall  and  the  other  the  Laboratory  Building-,  alluded  to  in  a 
previous  quotation.  The  latter  fronts  on  Spruce  street.  The  first  floor 
is  devoted  to  the  operating  room,  the  second  and  third  to  chemical 
laboratories,  and  the  fourth  to  the  dissecting  room  used  conjointly  by 
the  medical  and  dental  students.  The  mechanical  laboratory  is  at  pres- 
ent on  the  lower  floor  of  Medical  Hall. 

The  lectures  of  the  dental  faculty  are  delivered  in  the  same  lecture 
rooms  used  by  the  medical  faculty.  Those  on  chemistry,  anatomy,  and 
physiology  are  taken  with  the  medical  students.  Dental  materia  medica 
and  the  practical  branches  are  given  separate  hours. 

The  plan  of  the  operative  department  gives  a  room  peculiarly  well 
adapted  for  the  purpose.  The  principal  requirement  is  an  ample  supply 
of  light.    This  is  quite  equal  to  all  present  needs. 

The  great  length  of  the  ro^m,  coupled  with  its  width,  permits  the 
chairs  to  be  arranged  in  rows  without  any  marked  diminution  of  the 
light  required.  The  number  of  chairs  at  present  is  forty-six;  these  con- 
sist principally  of  the  so-called  "  Morrison, Chair."  This,  though  usually 
regarded  as  of  insufficient  strength  and  too  expensive  for  college  work, 
has  been  found  to  meet  all  our  requirements  and  more  economical  than 
those  ordinarily  used  in  dental  schools.  This  room  is  again  subdivided 
at  its  eastern  end  for  the  purpose  of  extracting  teeth,  both  with  and 
without  anesthetics.  This  is  appropriately  famished  with  two  operat- 
ing chairs,  one  for  ordinary  extracting  and  the  other,  a  "  Gould  Chair," 
for  extractions  with  anesthetic  agents.  Each  student  is  furnished  with 
a  case  (locker)  in  which  to  keep  his  instruments. 

The  mechanical  room  is  fitted  with  all  the  tools  necessary  in  this 
branch — lathes,  vulcauizers,  soldering  tables,  continuous  gum  furnace, 
etc.  No  effort  has  been  si)ared  to  make  this  thoroughly  complete,  both 
for  i»late  work  and  the  manipulation  of  other  bases. 

PLAN   OF  WORKING. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  in  the  teaching  of  professional  work  is 
the  i)ractical  work.  The  purely  didactic  has  a  value,  but  can  not  be  com- 
pared to  object  teaching  and  class  demonstration.  The  idea  originally 
entertained  by  the  founders  of  the  first  dental  college  was  to  incorpo- 
rate what  is  now  known  as  the  manual-training  idea.  This  was  not 
only  novel  at  that  time,  but  was  an  innovation  on  established  usages, 
and  fell  athwart  the  prejudices  of  centuries.  The  conception  was  a 
bold  one,  but  the  experience  of  fifty  years  has  justified  it  as  not  only 


THE    DEPARTMENT   OF    DENTISTRY.  317 

being  the  best  but  the  ouly  mode  applicable  to  the  teaching  of  dentis- 
try. The  success  attained  has,  undoubtedly,  had  its  influence  in  lead- 
ing to  its  more  general  adoption,  and  has  modified  to  some  extent  the 
teaching  in  mediciiu'.  The  idea  as  tlien  formulated  was  to  teach  on  the 
living  subject,  and  for  the  first  time  patients  were  invited  to  submit  to 
the  experimental  work  of  students.  It  is  remarkable  that  such  au 
innovation  shouhl  have  ever  found  favor  even  Avith  the  class  it  was  pro- 
posed to  benefit.  That  this  has  been  accoinidished  is  evidenced  by  the 
ftict  that  probably  at  least  22,000  patients  have  been  treated  in  the 
three  schools  in  Philadelphia  the  past  winter.  The  estimate  is  based 
on  the  exact  figures  of  this  department  for  1891-'92,  and  does  not  in- 
clude patients  for  the  extraction  of  teeth.  So  much  has  this  grown  and 
so  much  has  confidence  been  established  that  it  has  become  a  serious 
difficulty  to  confine  it  within  proper  limits. 

The  training  of  inexperienced  students  is  necessarily  perplexing.  As 
they  are  not  required  to  undergo  preliminary  practice  with  precep- 
tors, it  follows  that  the  teaching  of  the  elementary  branches  must 
be  undertaken  by  this  department.  To  accomplish  this  the  first-year 
men  are  divided  into  sections  under  proper  demonstrators,  and  are 
taught  the  principles  of  filling  teeth  out^f  the  mouth  before  they  are 
permitted  to  undertake  the  same  operation  on  the  living  subject.  The 
same  j)lan  is  i)ursu€d  in  the  mechanical  work.  This  preliminary  train- 
ing establishes  confidence  sufficient,  at  least,  for  the  minor  operations. 
This  preparatory  term  serves  also  an  excellent  purpose  in  giving  confi- 
dence to  the  i)atient.  From  these  small  beginnings  the  student  is  led 
gradually  stej)  by  stej)  in  his  manual-training  work,  until  he  is  ready  to 
manage  difficult  cases  and  to  assume  the  most  serious  responsibilities. 
TIence,  when  the  dental  student  graduates  he  differs  from  some  otlier 
professional  men,  in  that  he  starts!  out  fully  equipped  to  meet  all  con- 
ditions, and  has  not  to  look  forward  with  grave  anxiety  to  his  possible 
success  in  the  cases  that  will  daily  occur  in  practice. 

Though  dentistry  is  still  young  as  a  profession  it  is  divided  into 
sjiecialties.  The  prosthetic,  or  mechanical,  is  now  followed  by  a 
number  whose  tast<'  leads  to  that  exclusively  as  a  life  work.  The 
extraction  of  teeth  has  also  become  a  specialty,  largely  due  to  the 
introduction  of  nitrous-oxide  as  an  anesthetic.  Continuous-gum, 
porcelain  on  platinum  base,  has  its  specdal  workers,  and  more  recently 
the  so-called  bridge  work  has  its  favorites  who  devote  themselves 
almost  exclusively  to  it.  To  teach  tlie.se  distinct  specialties  requires 
skilled  assistants.  This  department  has,  fortunately,  been  able  to 
secure  the  ability  necessary  from  its  own  graduates,  and  the  sections, 
therefore,  have  made  most  gratifying  progress  in  these  julvanced 
mechanical  studies,  and  has  given  them  at  the  same  time  an  ample  field 
for  the  gratification  of  their  individual  tastes. 


318 


THE   UNIVERSITY    OF  PENNSYLVATflA. 


STATISTICS. 

The  uumber  of  matriculates  from  1878-79  to  1891-'92,  1,495;  grad- 
uates from  1878-'79  to  1891-'92,  699. 

These  graduates  were  divided  as  follows:  Alabama,  1;  Australia,  4; 
Austria,  1;  Bahamas,  2;  Brazil,  15;  Buenos  Ayres,  1;  California,  7;  Can- 
ada, 12;  Connecticut,  21 ;  Colorado,  1 ;  Chile,  1 ;  Costa  Rica,  2;  Cuba,  25; 
Delaware,  6;  Denmark,  1;  District  of  Columbia,  4;  Ecuador,  2;  England, 
11;  Florida,  1;  France,  3;  Georgia,  3;  Germany,  20;  Guatemala,!; 
Haiti,  2;  Holland,  1;  Illinois,  27;  Indiana,  5;  Iowa,  11;  Ireland,  1; 
Italy,  2;  Kansas,  2;  Kentucky,  4;  Louisiana,  2;  Massachusetts,  31; 
Maryland,  3;  Mexico,  2;  Michigan,  3;  Minnesota,  5;  Mississippi,  1; 
Missouri,  2;  Nebraska,  2;  New  Hampshire,  9;  New  Jersey,  13;  New 
York,  68;  New  Zealand,  1;  New  Brunswick,  2;  Nicaragua,  3;  North 
Carolina,  3;  Norway,  3;  Nova  Scotia,  5;  Ohio,  16;  Pennsylvania,  243; 
Puerto  Kico,  2;  Prince  Edward  Island,  3;  Rhode  Island,  4;  Saxony,  1; 
Scotland,  8;  South  Carolina,  2 ;  Sweden,!;  Switzerland,  12;  Spain,  1; 
Tennessee,  1 ;  Texas,  I;  Turkey,  1;  United  States  of  Colombia,  5;  Ver- 
mont, 3;  Washington,  5;  West  Indies,  3;  West  Virginia,  2;  Wisconsin, 
18;  Wyoming,  3. 

Worli  in  Operative  Department. — The  recording  of  daily  work  in  the 
department  was  not  attempted  prior  to  the  session  of  1884-'85,  hence 
the  statistics  apply  only  to  the  period  since  that  time. 


Tear. 


Gold 

other 

fillings. 

operations. 

4,380 

6,652 

4,010 

8,519 

•  a,  916 

9,260 

4,392 

10,224 

5,162 

11, 624 

5,254 

11,750 

5, 172 

14,645 

5,533 

15,653 

Patients. 


1884-'85 
1885-'86 
1886-'87 
1887-'88 
1888-'89 
188S^'90 
1890-'9l 
1891-'92 


4,898 
5,190 
4,825 
5, 062 
5,062 
7,482 
7,996 
8,536 


Gold  used  in  filling. — This  record  has  only  been  kept  since  1886. 
188r^-'87,  50  ounces  (4  pounds  2  ounces) ;  1887-'88,  52  ounces  (4  pounds 
4  ounces) ;  l888-'89,  ()7  ounces  (5  pounds  7  ounces) ;  1889-'90,  ^C)  ounces 
(5  i>ounds  6  ounces) ;  1890-'91,  72  ounces  (6  pounds) ;  1891-'92,  69  ounces 
(5  iKiunds  9  ounces). 


Mechanical  work. 

Tear. 

Cases 
inade. 

Patients. 

1884-'86 

392 

667 
647 
687 
712 
733 
981 
794 

313 

1885-'86 

494 

1886-'87 

512 

1887-'88 

634 

1888-'89 

684 

1889-'90 

702 

ia90-"91 

841 

1891-92 

'    698 

THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    DENTISTRY.  319 

Special  report  on  crown  and  bridge  work. — This  work  was  first  placed 
under  thecareof  a*speciiil  deinonstrator,  Fred.  A.  Peeso,  D.  D.  s.,  during 
the  session  of  1889-'!)0.  Whole  number  of  teeth  replaced,  292;  gold 
crowns,  145;  Logan  crowns,  9;  bridges,  33  (138  teeth);  amount  of  gold 
used  in  the  above,  $504.52. 

Bridge  work  is  made  exclusively  on  gold,  using  roots  or  teeth  as 
piers,  and  extending  the  gold  across,  depending  exclusively  for  strength 
upon  the  piers  and  the  stiffness  of  the  piece. 

The  first  session  of  the  three  years'  course  decided-  upon  opened 
1891-'92  with  a  freshman  class  of  62.  This  was  an  increase  over  the 
estimated  number  and  amply  justified  the  wisdom  of  the  change  as  far 
as  members  were  concerned.  The  present  session  (1892-'93)  exhibits  a 
still  further  increase  to  70,  with  a  combined  class  in  first  and  second 
year  of  145. 

The  completion  of  the  organization  of  the  third  year  (1893-'94)  will 
doubtless  increase  the  number  to  that  secured  under  the  rule  of  two 
years. 

The  results  thus  far  attained  have  been  gratifying  as  evidencing  the 
fact  that  the  adoption  of  a  higlier  standard  of  training,  if  Judiciously 
arranged,  can  not  fail  to  be  of  advantage  in  every  direction,  and  must 
encourage  the  belief  that  a  still  further  advance  may  be  possible. 

Whatever  the  future  may  have  in  reserve  the  past  is  full  of  satisfaction 
that  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  has  fostered,  in  all  its  departments, 
a  constant  feeling  that  the.  present  is  but  one  step  onward,  and  that 
others  must  be  taken  as  the  necessity  seems  to  demand. 


Chapter  XII. 

THE  WHARTON  SCHOOL  OF  FINANCE  AND  ECONOMY. 

In  the  iuaugural  address  of  Provost  William  Pepijer,  February  22, 
1881,  it  was  annouiiced  that  a  School  of  Fiuance  aud  Economy  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  had  been  projected  by  Mr.  Joseph  Whar- 
ton, of  Philadelphia.  At  the  meetiugof  the  board  of  trustees,  March  1, 
188J,  Mr.  Wharton's  plan  for  such  a  school  was  formally  accepted,  sub- 
ject to  conditions  named  by  the  founder  of  the  school.  He  is  a  native 
Philadelphian  of  large  wealth  aud  generai  culture  and  an  active,  suc- 
cessful manufacturer,  interested  in  public  affairs.  His  views  on  subjects 
of  importance  in  economic  science  are  known  by  several  monographs. 
Feeling  dissatisfied  with  the  results  of  the  instruction  in  practical 
attairs  given  in  American  colleges,  his  first  thought  was  to  establish  a 
chair  of  political  economy.  This  idea  was  elaborated  by  liim  in  the 
School  of  Finance  aud  Economy.  Mr.  Wharton's  project  declares  that 
the  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  should  bear  a  family  name  honor 
able  since  the  foundati,on  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  purpose 
of  the  school  is — 

To  provide  for  young  men  special  meauH  <»f  training  and  of  accurate  instrnction 
in  the  knowledge  aud  in  tlie  arts  of  modern  finance  aud  economy,  both  public  aud 
l)rivat«,  in  order  that,  being  well-informed  and  free  from  delusions  upon  these  im- 
portant subjects,  they  uiay  either  serve  the  commuuity  skillfully  as  well  as  faithfully 
in  offi<es  of  trust,  or,  remainiug  in  private  life,  may  prudently  manage  their  own 
art'airs  and  aid  in  maintaining  sound  financial  morality — in  short,  to  establish  means 
for  imparting  a  liberal  education  in  all  matters  concerniug  fiuance  and  economy. 

In  the  organization  of  the  school  provision  is  made  for  instruc- 
tion in  accounting  or  book-keeping  in  all  its  varied  forms  for  private 
individuals  and  commercial  and  banking  firms,  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments, aud  banks;  also  in  the  modes  of  keeping  accounts  by  ex- 
ecutors, trustees,  and  assignees,  by  the  officials  of  towns  and  cities, 
and  V)y  the  several  departments  of  the  State  or  General  Government. 
The  meaning,  history,  and  functions  of  money  aud  currency  were  to  be 
taught,  ''showing  i)arti(;ularly  the  necessity  of  permanent  uniformity 
or  integrity  in  the  coin  unit,  upon  which  the  money  system  of  the 
nation  is  based;  how  an  essential  attribute  of  money  is  that  it  should 
be  hard  t«>  get ;  tlu^  nature  of  and  the  reasons  for  interest  or  hire  of 
money  and  rents;  the  advantages  of  an  adequate  precious-metal  fund 
for  settling  international  balances,  as  well  as  for  regulating  and  check- 
ing by  redemption  the  paper  money  and  credits  of  a  modern  commer- 
320 


THE    WHARTON   SCHOOL    OF    FINANCE    AND    ECONOMY.        321 

cial  nation;  liow  fsuch  metallic  hordes  are  amansed  and  defended;  the 
extent  to  which  paper  money  may  be  advantageously  employed;  the 
distinction  between  bank  notes  and  Government  notes;  the  uses  and 
abuses  of  credit,  both  private  and  public;  the  uses  and  abuses  of  bills 
of  exchange,  letters  of  credit,  and  promissory  notes;  the  history  of 
banking,  and  particularly  of  Government  banks;  the  advantages  and 
dangers  of  banks  of  issue,  banks  of  deposit,  and  savings  banks;  how 
the  functions  of  different  sorts  of  banks  may  be  combined  in  one,  and 
how  any  of  them  may  be  banks  of  discount;  the  functions  of  clearing 
houses;  the  phenomena  and  causes  of  panics  and  money  crises;  the 
natnre  of  pawn  establishnu'nts  and  of  lotteries,  and  the  nature  of 
stocks  and  bonds,  with  the  ordiniuy  modes  of  dealing  therein." 

The  history  and  practice  of"  modern  taxation,  as  distinguished  frdni 
the  plunder,  tribute  or  personal  service,  which  it  for  the  most  part  re- 
places, is  a  subject  tor  stndy,  including  ''trtie  proper  object*  and 
rates  of  taxation  for  municipal,  State  or  national  purposes;  the 
public  ends  for  which  money  may  be  properly  raised  by  taxation ;  the 
nature  of  direct  and  indirect  taxation,  of  excise,  of  customs  or  import 
duties,  of  export  duties,  of  stamps,  of  income  tax;  the  modern  methods 
by  which  taxes  are  usually  levied ;  the  influence  exercised  upon  the 
morality  and  prosperity  of  a  community  or  nation  by  tlie  various  modes 
and  extents  of  taxation;  the  effects  upon  taxation  of  wars  and  of  stand- 
ing armies;  the  extent  to  which  corporations  should  be  encouraged  by 
the  State,  and  to  what  extent  they  should  be  taxed  as  compared  with 
individuals  engaged  in  similar  pursuits." 

It  should  be  the  duty  of  a  professor  to  ''teach  how  industries  ad- 
vance in  excellence  or  decline  and  shift  from  place  to  place;  how  by 
intelligent  industry  nations  or  communities  thrive;  how  by  superior 
skill  and  diligence  some  nations  grow  rich  and  powerful,  and  how  by 
idleness  or  ilf-directed  industry  others  become  rude  and  poor;  how  a 
great  nation  should  be,  as  far  as  possible,  self-sufficient,  maintaining 
a  proper  balance  between  agriculture,  mining,  and  manufactures,  and 
supplying  its  own  wants;  how  mutual  advantage  results  from  the  re- 
ciprocal exchange  of  commodities  natural  to  one  land  for  the  diverse 
commodities  natural  to  another;  also  the  nature  and  origin  of  money 
wages;  the  necessity  tor  modern  industry  of  organizing  under  single 
leaders  and  employers  great  amounts  of  (capital  and  great  numbers  of 
laborers,  and  (»f  maintaining  disciplin<»  among  the  latter;  the  proper 
division  of  the  fruits  of  organized  labor  between  capitalist,  leader,  and 
workman;  the  nature  and  prevention  of  'strikes';  the  importance  of 
educating  men  to  combine  their  energies  for  the  accomplishment  of  any 
desirable  object,  and  the  principles  upon  which  such  combinations 
shouM  be  effected." 

A  j)rofessor  or  instructor  upon  elementary  and  mercantile  law  should 
teaclhthe  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  of  Pennsylvania;  the 
l)rincipal  features  of  United  States  law  concerning  mercantile  affairs, 
1180 2X 


322  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

partDeiships,  uud  corporations;  of  so-called  international  laws;  of  the 
law  of  common  carriers;  the  nature  and  operation  of  fire,  marine,  and 
life  insurance;  the  principal  features  of  State  law  coiicerniug  inheri- 
tance, conveyance  of  land  titles,  mort{>ages,  and  liens — in  brief,  the 
history  and  present  status  of  commercial  legislation,  and  the  directions 
in  which  improvements  may  be  hoped  and  striven  for,  particulq,rly  as 
to  harmonizing  or  unifying  under  United  States  laws  the  diverse  legis- 
lation of  the  several  States  of  this  Nation;  the  manner  of  conducting 
st<K'kholders'and  directors'  meetings,  as  well  as  public  meetings;  the 
rules  governing  parliamentary  assemblies,  the  routine  and  forms  of 
legislative  bodies. 

J^locution  fiboiiM  be  taught  ami  practiced  to  the  extent  of  habituating  the  stiulents 
to  clear,  forcible,  and  unembarrassed  utterance  before  an  audience  of  wjiatever  they 
may  have  to  say,  not  in  such  a  manner  as  to  jtromote  mere  rhetoric  or  prettiness. 
Athletic  exercises  within  moderate  limits  should  be  encouraged,  as  tending  to  vigor 
and  self-reliance.  Latin,  German,  and  French,  and  sound,  general  knowledge  of 
mathematics,  geography,  history,  and  other  branches  of  an  ordinary  goo<l  educa- 
tion must  be  acquired  by  the  students,  but  these  points  are  not  here  dwelt  ujion  be- 
cause it  is  desired  to  direct  attention  to  the  peculiar  featiires  of  the  school. 

This  sketch  of  the  instruction  to  be  given  in  the  school  is  not  to  be  regarded  as 
preciselj-  defining,  much  less  as  limiting,  that  which  shall  ])c  there  undertaken  and 
carried  on,  but  rather  as  indicating  its  general  scope  and  tendency,  the  true  int«'nt 
and  meaning  being  that  instruction  shall  be  carefully  provided  for  and  regularly 
given  in  this  school  at  least  as  full  and  thorough  as  is  above  set  forth,  and  substan- 
tially as  tliere  stated. 

All  the  teaching  must  be  clear,  sharp,  and  didactic ;  not  uncertain  nor  languid. 
The  students  must  be  taught  and  drilled,  not  lectured  to  without  care  whether  or 
not  attention  is  paid;  any  lazy  or  incompetent  student  must  be  dismissed. 

Though  the  special  curriculum  should  probably  at  lirst  be  arranged  to  occupj' 
three  yejirs,  as  has  been  suggested  above,  this  term  might  hereafter  be  extended,  or 
]»ost-graduate  instruction  introduced,  if  experience  should  so  dictate. 

The  dean  and  professors  or  instructors  are  to  constitute  the  faculty  of  the  school, 
and  are  to  jwlminister  its  discipline,  as  is  done  by  the  dean  and  facility  of  the  other 
departments  of  tlu-  rniversity,  subject  to  such  general  rules  as  shall  from  time  to 
time  be  establisheil  for  the  University  by  the  Hoard  of  Trustees. 

The  general  tendency  of  instruction  should  be  such  as  to  inculcate  ami  impress 
upon  the  students — 

(m)  The  inuiiorality  and  practical  inexpediency  of  seeking  to  acquire  wealth  by 
winning  it  from  another  rather  than  by  earning  it  through  some  sort  of  service  to 
one's  fellow-men. 

(ft)  The  necessity  of  system  and  .accuracy  in  accounts,  of  thoroughness  in  whatever 
is  undertaken,  and  of  strict  fidelity  in  trusts. 

{<•)  Caution  in  cimtracting  private  del)t  directly  or  by  indorsement,  and  in  in- 
curring obligation  of  any  kind;  punctuality  in  payment  of  debt  and  in  performance 
of  engagements.  Abhorrence  of  repudiation  of  debt  or  inconsiderate  incurring  of 
public  debts. 

{(!)  The  deep  comfort  and  liealthfulness  of  pecuniary  independence,  whether  the 
scale  of  affairs  be  small  or  great.  The  consequj'ut  necessity  of  careful  scrutiny  of 
income  and  outgo,  whether  private  or  public,  and  of  such  inansigenient  as  will  cause 
the  first  to  exceed,  even  but  slightly,  the  second.  In  national  affairs  this  applies 
not  only  to  the  jmblic  treasury,  but  also  to  the  ^lass  of  the  nation,  as  shown  by  the 
balance  of  trade. 

(e)  The  necessity  of  rigorously  punishing  by  legal  penalties  and  by  social  exclu- 


THE   WHARTON   SCHOOL   OF   FINANCE   AND    ECONOMY,        323 

Bion  tiiose  persons  who  commit  frauds,  betray  trusts,  or  steal  public  funds,  directly 
•  or  indirectly.     The  fatal  consequences  to  a  community  of  any  weak  toleration  of 
such  offenses  must  be  most  distinctly  pointed  out  and  enforced. 

(/)  The  fundamental  fact  that  the  United  States  is  a  nation,  composed  of  popu- 
lations wedded  tosethor  for  life,  with  full  power  to  enforce  internal  obedience,  and 
not  a  loose  bundle  of  incoherent  communities  living  together  temporarily  without 
other  bond  than  the  humor  of  the  moment. 

Each  student  intending  to  graduate  should  prepare  an  original  thesis  upon  some 
topic  germane  to  the  instruction  of  tlie  school,  such  as  the  great  currents  of  the 
world's  exchanges,  pjist  and  present;  th<i  existing  revenue  system  of  Great  Britain, 
France,  Mexico,  Japan,  or  some  other  modern  nation;  the  revenue  system,  at  some 
definite  period,  of  Athens,  Eome,  Venice,  or  other  ancient  or  mediaeval  nation;  the 
relative  advantages  of  monometallic  and  of  bimetallic  money;  the  Latin  monetary 
union;  the  land-credit  banks  of  Germany;  life  insurance,  tontines,  annuities,  and 
endowments;  reciprocity  and  commercial  treaties;  the  nature  of  French  societies 
generales,  anonymes,  and  en  commandite;  the  banking  system,  past  and  present,  of 
some  specified  nation ;  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  attempts  of  employers 
to  provide  for  the  wants  of  their  workmen  beyond  payment  of  stipulated  wages. 

In  style  the  thesis  should  be  lu^id,  terse,  and  sincere,  showing  mastery  of  the  sub- 
ject, with  appropriate  and.logical  arrangement  of  parts,  leading  up  to  definite  state- 
ment of  conclusions  reached.    The  chirography  must  be  neat  and  legible. 

For  the  best  thesis,  and  also  fpr  the  best  general  proficiency  in  the  studies  taught 
in  the  school,  should  be  given  annually  a  gold  medal  weighing  about  one  ounce,  to 
be  called,  respectively,  Founder's  Thesis  Medal,  and  Founder's  Proficiency  Medal,  the 
same  to  be  awarded  by  the  dean  and  professors  or  instructor  in  council. 

This  school  is  intended  to  form  an  integral  part  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
its  dean  and  professors  or  instructors  to  be  appointed  by  the  trustees  of  that  Uni- 
versity, its  functions  to  be  exercised  under  the  general  oversight  of  the  provost  and 
trustee,  and  its  specific  course  of  instruction  to  be  determined  by  them ;  its  diplomas 
to  be  countersigned  by  him;  its  funds,  however,  to  be  kept  absolutely  distinct  from 
those  of  the  Universitj-,  and  to  be  kept  separately  invested  by  the  trustees  of  the 
University,  in  the  name  of  this  school,  to  be  applied  only  to  its  own  uses  and  not 
encroached  upon  in  any  manner  for  any  debt,  engagement,  need,  or  purpose  of  the 
University. 

Since  this  school  will  require  no  house  accommodation  except  for  classrooms,  the 
use  of  which  it  is  expected  the  University  will  freely  grant,  none  of  its  funds  must 
be  expended  in  building  or  for  paying  rent. 

•An  endowment  capable  of  yielding  $6,000  per  annum  would  seem  to  be  necessary 
and  adequate.  Forty  students,  if  at  $150  per  annum  each,  would  contribute  a  sim- 
ilar sum. 

From  this  revenue  of  $12,000  per  annum,  the  dean  might  be  paid  $3,000,  and  each 
of  the  professors  or  instructors  $1,500  per  annum,  thus  consuming  $10,500  and  leaving 
$1,500  per  annum  from  which  to  accumulate  gradually  a  safety  fund  equal  to  at  least 
one  year's  expenses,  also  to  buy  books  and  to  pay  for  premiums  and  for  publication 
of  treatises.  The  interest  of  this  safety  fund  might  pro])erly  be  applied  to  pay  to 
the  treasury  of  the  school  for  the  tuition  of  those  admitted  to  free  scholarship;  tli' 
number  of  which  would  thus  be  limited  by  the  amount  of  such  interest,  but,  beside- 
the  other  requisites  for  admi.ssion,  sound  physical  health  and  high  probability  of  life 
must  be  indispensable  conditions  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  free  schcdarship. 

Before  so  many  as  forty  students  are  in  attendance  the  number  of  instructors  may 
be  reduced  by  running  the  subjects  together.  When  more  than  forty  attend,  the 
instniction  may  be  expanded,  the  salaries  advanced,  or  the  Bafety  fund  increased  as 
the  trustees  may  think  most  expedient.  During  the  first  years,  before  all  the  classes 
are  under  tuition,  the  instruction  will  naturally  be  condensed,  fewer  professors  or 
instructors,  perhaps,  be  req^uired,  and  the  safety  fund  thus  have  opportunity  for  ac- 


324  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

cumulation.     It  is  not  expected  that  the  University  shall  consume  its  own  means  for 
the  support  of  the  school,  further  than  to  provide  classrooms. 

The  school  must  exemplify  its  teachings  by  always  keeping  its  expenses  surely 
within  its  income,  except  that  in  emergencies  it  may  consume  any  part  of  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  safety  fund,  the  same  to  be  afterward  replaced  as  soon  as  practicable. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  Mr.  Wharton's  plan  for  his  school  of  Fi- 
nance and  Economy  with  Franklin's  Sketch  of  an  English  School. 
Each  is  utilitarian  in  its  purpose,  each  seeks  to  equip  the  students  to  do 
well  some  part  of  the  world's  legitimate  work;  each  mentions  the  in- 
centives of  ambition,  success,  and  worldly  wealth,  as  among  the  treas- 
ures of  the  goal.  Franklin  would  give  the  children  who  excelled, 
prizes  of  gilt  books,  or,  as  in  Boston,  of  gold  medals.  Mr.  Wharton 
would  give  annually  for  the  best  thesis  and  for  the  best  general  pro- 
ficiency taught  in  the  school,  a  gold  medal,  to  be  called  the  "  Founder's 
Thesis  Medal"  and  the  "  Founder's  Proficiency  Medal."  Mr.  Wharton 
in  endowing  the  school  gave  a  fund  sufficient  for  its  inauguration,  but 
fixed  its  success  upon  the  energy,  ability,  and  fidelity  of  the  University, 
of  which  it  is  conditionally  an  integral  part.  The  school  must  exem- 
plify its  teaching  by  always  keeping  its  expenses  within  its  income. 
These  marks  are  all  of  the  Franklin  order,  and  probably  no  department 
of  the  University  founded  since  Franklin's  time  is  in  more  perfect  har- 
mony with  his  utilitarian  notions.  The  history  of  the  school  shows 
that  the  founder's  plans  were  Avise,  and  its  success,  that  such  a  school 
was  needed. 

In  1883,  a  faculty  was  gathered  which  began  the  administration  of 
the  school  as  closely  as  possible  according  to  the  jjlan  of  its  founder. 
Albert  S.  Bolles,  ph.  d.,  widely  known  in  financial  circles  and  as  an 
author  of  numerons  books  on  law,  banking,  and  finance,  was  chosen 
[)rofessor  of  mercantile  law  on  the  6th  of  February,  1883.  He  was  in- 
strumental in  the  creation  of  two  new  professorships  in  the  University; 
that  of  American  history,  soon  after  filled  by  the  election  of  John  Bach 
-McMaster,  and  that  of  finance  and  administration  filled  by  the  election 
>f  Dr.  Edmund  J.  James,  and  it  was  in  the  Wharton  School  of  Finance 
ind  Economy  that  for  the  first  time  in  this  country  the  subject  of  Ameri- 
can history  was  made  of  sufficient  importance  to  fully  occupy  the  time 
of  a  professor. 

Wlien  the  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions  was  founded 
ten  years  later.  Prof.  McMaster  was  transferred  from  the  Wharton 
scliool  to  that  department. 

The  election  of  Prof.  James  i)roved  of  the  highest  importance  to 
the  School  and  to  the  University.  Prof.  James  is  identified  with 
the  best  educational  movements  in  the  country,  and  has  been  able  to 
concentrate  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  the  cooperative  labors 
of  many  men  and  of  many  minds  in  the  interests  of  sound  learning. 
Largely  through  his  efforts  the  Wharton  School  was  transformed  from 
a  project  on  paper  to  a  living  educational  power.  As  an  instance  of 
this  it  should  be  recorded  that  Prof.  James  as  founder  of  the 
American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science  has  created  an 


THR  WHARTON   SCHOOL  0]P  FINANCE   AND   ECONOMY.       325 

acadeuiic  body,  witli  a  membership  tbrougliout  the  United  States  and 
in  Europe,  interested  in  all  subjects  pertaining  to  tinanee  and  political 
economy;  and  altbouffh  this  Academy  is  wholly  distinct  from  the 
Wharton  School,  yet  the  ideas  which  are  sought  to  be  examined  in  the 
Wharton  School  and  by  the  Academy  are  the  same.  It  may  be  said 
therefore  that  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science 
is  a  product  of  the  Wharton  School  at  the  hands  of  one  of  the  eminent 
members  of  its  faculty. 

It  should  also  be  said  that  the  Wharton  School  faculty  has  been  in 
sympathy  and  close  touch  with  the  American  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Teaching,  and  that  society  has  been  able  to  reach  the 
community  in  and  about  Philadelphia  and  at  distant  points  by  means 
of  well  organized  courses  of  lectures  in  social  science,  American  and 
European  history,  in  literature,  in^  the  natural  sciences,  and  in  polit- 
ical economy.  The  lecturers  in  social  and  political  science  and  in 
American  and  European  history  have  been,  with  few  exceptions,  iden- 
tified with  the  work  of  the  W^harton  School;  its  faculty  and  fellows 
have  provided  instruction  in  these  subjects  for  the  University  Exten- 
sion centers  affiliated  with  the  American  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Training. 

The  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science,  with  a 
membership  of  3,000,  publishes  its  Annals  bimonthly  and  reaches 
probably  10,000  readers.  The  contributors  to  the  Annals  are  eminent 
specialists  in  Europe  and  America,  and  the  value  of  the  Annals  is  fully 
appreciated  by  libraries,  newspapers,  specialists,  and  general  readers. 
It  is  a  means  for  a  high  order  of  instruction  in  political  and  social 
science.  It  is  edited  by  Prof.  James,  with  the  assistance  of  two  pro- 
fessors in  the  Wharton  School,  Roland  P.  Falkner  and  James  Harvey 
Robinson.  By  means  of  this  Academy  and  its  Annals,  and  through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Extension  of  Uni- 
versity Teaching,  the  Wharton  School  reaches  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  people,  who  are  the  recipients,  in  this  manner  and  through  this 
agency,  of  the  best  modern  academic  instruction  on  the  principles  and 
literature  of  finance,  political  economy,  and  social  science. 

This  is  not  the  whole  infiuence  of  the  School;  it  has  increased  in 
membership  and  has  attracted  a  class  of  students  of  a  high  order  of 
intellect,  in  the  University  and  from  other  coleges  and  .institutions 
and  its  graduates  have  met  with  uniform  success  upon  their  entrance 
into  the  world  of  business  or  upon  professional  life.  Therefore  the 
WHiarton  School  means  an  education  for  such  a  country  as  ours.  It 
conforms  soundly  with  the  best  notions  formulated  by  Franklin,  and  is 
in  accord  with  the  wants  of  our  time.  That  the  Wharton  School  was 
a  creation  in  due  time  is  suggested  by  the  founding  of  two  schools  of 
political  and  social  science  contemporaneously  with  it.  The  Columbia 
School  of  Political  and  Social  Science  was  opened  October  4,  1880,  and 
the  School  of  Political  and  Social  Science  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
waj  opened  a  year  later. 


326  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA, 

As  ioiig  ago  as  1865  the  legislature  of  South  Carolina,  in  reorgan- 
i/.iug  the  college  fit  Columbia  nnder  the  name  of  the  Uuivers<ity  of 
South  Carolina,  provided  for  a  school  of  history,  political  philosophy, 
and  economy,  which  was  probably  the  first  provision  for  a  school  of  this 
kind  in  this  country. 

The,  causes  which  led  later  to  the  founding  of  the  School  of  American 
History  and  Institutions  led  also  to  the  founding  of  the  Wharton  School, 
namely,  the  specialization  of  educational  interests.'  Jefferson  was  the 
first  American  to  plan  technical  schools  in  the  University,  and  it  is  an 
interesting  suggestion  that  with  the  wide  advancement  of  the  nation  in 
population  and  wealth,  and  with  the  necessary  cooperative  agencies 
v.orking  out  the  great  social,  political,  and  economic  changes  of  the 
country,  it  is  necessary  that  technical  schools  should  be  founded,  not 
only  in  chemistry,  biologj^,  medicine,  dentistry,  mining  engineering, 
law,  and  theology,  but  also  in  history,  political  science,  language,  and 
economics.  The  whole  tendency  in  higher  education  in  this  country 
since  the  civil  war  is  toward  and  in  the  foundation  of  such  technical 
schools.  The  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  is  such  a 
school. 

The  School  has  the  advantage  of  adequate  library  facilities  and  loca- 
tion in  the  chief  manufacturing  city  of  the  country.  It  also  has  the 
advantage  of  nearness  to  the  great  cities  of  the  Atlantic  seaboai'd, 
whose  libraries  and  economic  conditions  are  easily  accessible  to  study 
or  to  personal  observation,  and  its  location  also  makes  possible  fre 
quent  lectures  before  the  school  by  eminent  public  men,  who,  having 
interests  in  the  city,  in  Washington,  New  York,  or  Baltimore,  can, 
with  slight  inconvenience  to  themselves  and  great  advantage  to  the 
students  of  the  School,  address  the  School  upon  financial- and  economic 
subjects  in  which  they  are  si)ecially  informed.  In  this  way  the  students 
of  the  School  meet  eminent  officials  in  the  service  of  the  State,  munici- 
pality, and  of  the  nation,  and  are  enabled  to  learn  the  present  day 
conditions  of  public  affairs. 

The  publications  of  the  School  comprise  monographs  on  subjects  for 
the  investigation  of  which  the  School  was  founded.  On  several  occa- 
sions the  American  Bankers'  Association  and  other  similar  associations 
in  various  parts  of  the  country  have  seen  fit  to  commend  the  purpose 
nnd  organization  of  the  Wharton  School,  and  to  suggest  that  other 
universities  establish  such  schools. 

The  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  is  at  once  a  center 
lor  the  study  of  political  economy,  and  a  college  of  practical  affairs, 
offering  courses  suitable  to  those  young  men  looking  forward  to  a 
business  career  (whether  in  merchandising,  hanking,  insurance,  or 
transportation),  U^  journalism,  the  public  service,  teaching  economics 
and  politics  in  our  schools  and  colleges,  or  to  the  study  and  practice 
of  the  law,  and  in  all  these  departments  it  has  now  eminent  repre- 
sentatives and  illustrations  of  "the  value  of  its  curriculum. 

.     '  See  chapter  xviii,  on  the  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions. 


Chapter  XIII. 
THE  BIOLOGICAL  SCHOOL. 


The  growth  or  coming-  of  the  biological  school  represents  the  evolii- ' 
tion  of  an  idea. 

Philadelphia,  jirobably  earlier  than  most  of  our  American  cities, 
evinced  a  pronounced  teiulency  toward  studies  in  the  natural  sciences. 
Botany  especially  received  marked  attention.  Bartram's  botanical 
garden  was  started  as  early  as  1728.  That  of  Marshall  (a  relative  ot 
Bartram),  in  Chester  County,  was  established  in  1773. 

J)r.  David  Hosack  was  born  in  17G9.  His  botanical  garden  near 
l^ew  York  was  not  started  until  1801.  His  fondness  for  natural  his- 
tory was  very  decided,  and  manifested  itself  early  in  life.  He  received 
his  collegiate  training  in  Princeton  and  his  medical  education  in 
Philadelphia.  It  is,  therefore,  quite  probable  that  he  was  influenced 
in  his  determination  to  start  a  botanical  garden  by  the  success  of  the 
one  which,  under  thecare  of  Bartram,  had  already  become  so  celebrated. 
It  is  evident  that  this  early  predilection  for  botany  in  and  around 
Philadelphia  must  be  accounted  for.  Bartram  and  Marshall  were 
merely  the  most  distinguished  of  a  considerable  number  who  were  in- 
clined to  such  studies. 

Eastern  Pennsylvania  derived  a  large  proportion  of  its  early  col- 

t)nists  from  the  Society  of  Friends.    Their  power  was  great  from  the 

date  of  their  arrival,  and  it  was  constantly  exerted  in  the  direction  of 

education  and  humanizing  influences.     We  can  not  wonder  that  minds 

of  more  than  ordinary  activity  among  them  were  drawn  to  studies  of 

nature.    The  amusements  of  the  "world's  people"  were  forbidden  to 

the  "Quaker"  youth.     Indeed,  they  were  mildly  discouraged  from  too 

close  an  association  with  others  than  the  members  of  their  own  society. 

^he  serenity  of  mind  so  desired  by  the  "  Friend  "  was  cultivated  by  the 

calm  contemplation  of  growing  ]dants  and  living  animals.    Theoi)en 

field  and  the  deep  forest,  rather  than  the  haunts  of  men,  were  the 

natural  outlet  for  pent  vitality.     Possibly  even  in  the  bright  colored 

flowers  some  compensation  niight  have  been  found  for  the  forbidden 

admiration  of  gaudy   attire.     Then,  ti)o,  the  influence  of  these  early 

botanists  and  zoiilogists  among-those  outside  their  own  religious  circle 

could  not  fail  to  be  felt,  and  most  so  by  the  better  representatives  of 

the  early  citizens  of  Philadelphia. 

327    . 


328  tnis,  imiVERSiTY  or  pUKKmYLVANiA, 

From  what  follows,  it  will  probably  appear  that  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  haa  been  fortunate  in  having  trustees  who  havefrom  the 
first  been  favorable  to  the  natural  scient-es;  and  that  the  rei)eate(l  at- 
tt'iiijits  and  failures  to  establish  these  studies  have  been  dne  to  no  fanlt 
of  theirs,  but  to  a  lack  of  pecuniary  support,  which  appears  to  be  coiu- 
nion  to  all  yonng  colonies  or  nations.' 

So  far  as  now  ai)pears,  Dr.  Adam  Kuhn,  a  i)upil  of  Linnaeus,  Avas 
the  first  botanical  professoi*  in  Philadeli^hia,  or  in  the  country,  being 
ai)i)ointed  in  the  year  ]  788.  There  is,  however^  no  record  of  any  ini 
portant  work  connected  with  his  name.  As  early  as  the  year  1800  Dr. 
Benjamin  Smith  Barton  Was  teaching  botany  in  Philadelphia,  and 
numbered  among  his  pui)ils  in  180.'i-'04  at  the  University  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  Williaiil  Darlington,  who  subsequently  became  known  as  one  of 
the  most  learned  and  exact  botanists  of  his  day  in  this  or  in  any  coun- 
try. Dr.  Darlington  says  of  his  preceptor,  "  that  he  did  more  than  any 
of  his  contemi)oraries  in  diffusing  a.  taste  for  the  natural  sciences 
among  the  young  men  Avho  then  resorted  to  that  school."  He  also  pub- 
lished in  1803  ''the  first  American  elementary  work  on  botany,  at  Phila- 
deli)hia."  It  is  clear,  then,  that  the  influence  of  Professor  Barton  was 
very  considerable. 

The  minutes  of  a  trustee  meeting  held  April  7,  1812,  show  that  '^  a 
letter  was  received  from  J^r.  Barton  requesting  the  use  of  one  of  the 
rooms  in  the  University  to  deliver  his  lectures  on  natural  history  and 
botany  in."  The  request  could  not  be  granted.  In  .July,  1813,  Dr. 
Barton  resigned  his  professorship  of  materia  medi(;a,  a  position  which 
does  not  ai)pear  to  have  been  a  bed  of  roses.  He  was  succeeded  by 
})t.  Chapman. 

The  following  minute  a])pears  of  a  trustee  meeting,  of  November  7, 
1815: 

Ifhereas,  the  legislature  of  Pennsylvania  by  their  act  passed  the  19th  March,  1805, 
ranted  to  the  trustees  of  this  institution  out  of  the  nionej's  due  to  the  State  the  sum 
of  three  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  them  to  establish  a  garden  for 
the  improvement  of  the  Science  of  Botany,  Resolved,  that  Mr.  Kawle,  Mr.  (Mievv  and 
Mr.  Hurd  be  a  committee  to  consider  and  report  the  best  method  of  carrying  the  said 
intention  of  the  legislature  into  etfect. 

February  0, 1810,  at  a  trustee  meeting  Mr.  S.  C.  liaflnesque  and  Dr. 
William  P.  C.Barton  offered  themselves  as  candidates  for  the  professor- 
ship of  natural  history  and  botany  in  the  University. 

At  the  same  meeting,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  llawle,  the  following  was 
subnntted  to  the  consideration  of  the  boar<l : 

Uemthutl,  That  a  faculty  of  ]>hysical  science  and  rural  economy  be  instituted,  to 
consist  at  present  of  the  following  professorships:  1st,  of  Botany;  2d,  of  Zoiilogy; 
3d,  of  Geology  and  Mineralogy  ;  dth,  Comparative  Anatomy  aud  the  Veterinary  Art. 


'Di'sirable  as  it  raiglit  be  tt»  have  a  fnll  statement  of  all  the  events,  chronologic- 
ally arranged,  which  prepared  the  way  for  the  biological  school,  it  is  (dearly  impos- 
sible within  the  lifuits  of  this  paper.  It  will,  therefore,  be  understood  that  only 
the  more  important  ones  are  nllu<led  to. 


The  biological  School.  329 

At  the  same  time  a  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  what  accom- 
modations the  university  conkl  afford  sucli  faculty. 

The  trustees  received  March  19,  1816,  "a  letter  from  a  Society  of* 
Gentlemen  called  the  Cabinet  of  Sciences,  relating  to  a  botanical  gar- 
den. It  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  that  subject.  Mr.  Binney 
and  Mr.  Gibson  were  added  to  the  committee  on  botanical  garden."  On 
April  2,  the  committee  was  authorized  to  solicit  subscriptions  from  the 
public  toward  the  aceomplishment  of  that  end.  Nothing  having  been 
accomplished  by  meeting  with  the  Cabinet  of  Sciences,  on  April  16.  the 
committee  announced  that  they  had  published  their  application  for  aid 
in  the  public  papers.  The  trustees  at  once  resolved  to  create  a  faculty 
of  natural  sciences  and  rural  economy.  It  is  evident  throughout  that 
the  governing  board  of  the  university  was  not  only  abreast  of  but 
ahead  of  the  public. 

By  Older  of  the  board  the  moneys  available  for  the  botanical  garden 
were  to  be  put  at  interest,  subject  to  future  call. 

October  4,  181.S,  the  faculty  of  natural  history  was  instituted  and  the 
following  professorships  created:  First,  botany  and  horticulture;  second, 
natural  history,  including  geoh>gy,  zoology,  and  comparative  anatomy; 
third,  mineralogy  and  chemistry  as  applied  to  agriculture  and  the  arts. 

At  the  same  time  the  professorships  of  natural  history  and  botany 
were  detached  from  the  medical  department  and  merged  into  the  new 
fatuity.  Horticulture  was  soon  removed  from  the  duties  of  the  botan- 
ical professor,  and  a  separate  chair  of  comparative  anatomy  was 
created. 

To  fill  these  places  the  following  gentlemen  were  elected  in  December, 
1816.  William  P.  C.  Barton,  >i.  u.,  professor  of  botany;  Charles  Cald- 
well, M.  D.,  professor  of  natural  history,  including  geology  and  zoology; 
Thomas  Cooper,  m.  d.,  professor  of  mineralogy  and  chemistry  as  ap- 
l>lied  to  agriculture  and  arts;  Thomas  T,  Hewson,  3r.  d.,  professor  of 
comparative  anatomy. 

A  committee  was  also  appointed  to  provide  temiM>rary  accommoda 
tions  for  this  new  faculty. 

Early  in  1817,  42  acres  of  ground  had  been  purchased  for  the  botani- 
cal garden.  The  record  shows  tliat  it  was  located  in  Penn  Township, 
near  the  "Canal  Iload,"  and  it  was  ordered  that  enough  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  garden  sliould  be  "fenced  off." 

Meanwhile  the  question  of  rooms  for  the  faculty  was  concerning  the 
trustees.  That  malady  appears  to  have  reached  a  chronic  state.  Tliere 
can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  the  authorities  were  straitened  by  lack 
of  funds  and  that  they  were  doing  their  utmost  to  provide  the  needed 
accommodations.  So  far  as  appears,  no  salary  was  attachetl  to  these 
chairs,  except  possibly  what  came  directly  from  the  student  to  the 
teacher,  as  we  gather  from  a  hint  dropped  by  l*rof.  Barton  in  a  letter 
to  the  trustees. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at,  however,  that  the  faculty  was  becom- 


330  THE  imiVERSlTY   OF  PEN'NSYLVANIA. 

iug  impatient.  Accordingly,  we  discover  that  in  1818  Professors  Caldwell 
and  Hewson  were  both  asking  that  means  be  taken  to  enable  them  to  do 
their  work.  Such  inquiries  were  referred  to  the  committee  on  tinance. 
Stringent  economy  had  apparently  become  a  necessity,  and  in  1819, 
after  two  years'  ownership,  the  trustees  were  considering  the  propriety 
of  selling  the  ground  purchased  for  a  botanical  garden,  and  the  pro- 
fessor of  botany  was  ''  allowed  the  use  of  the  yard  south  of  the  univer- 
sity, as  the  same  is  now  inclosed,  for  the  cultivation  of  plants  there, 
at  his  own  expense,  during  the  pleasure  of  the  board."  In  1820  Prof. 
Barton's  suggestion  that  the^  chair  of  botany  be  detached  from  the 
faculty  of  natural  science  and  united  to  the  medical  faculty  was  reported 
against.  Three  months  later  Prof.  Caldwell  resigned  his  chair  of  natural 
history. 

The  only  signs  of  life  in  the  department  of  science  were  now  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  committee  to  consider  the  propriety  and  the  cost  of 
erecting  a  greenhouse  and  the  request  from  the  janitor  that  he  be 
allowed  the  use  of  Prof.  Cooper's  room  for  the  winter,  to  preserve  the 
plants  "he  had  collected  to  adorn  the  grounds  and  to  encourage  the 
love  of  botany."  The  request  was  granted.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee on  the  greenhouse  was  laid  on  the  table. 

June  r>,  1821,  Prof.  Cooper  resigned  the  chair  of  mineralogy  and 
chemistry  m  the  faculty  of  natural  science.  On  the  first  day  of  the 
ensuing  year  the  question  of  filling  the  vacant  chairs  in  this  faculty 
a])pears  to  liave  become  one  of  more  than  ordinary  importance,  for  the 
trustees  ordered  the  report  of  the  committee  having  that  in  hand  to  be 
printed.  A  fortnight  later  it  was  resolved  that  it  was  expedient  that 
the  vacancies  should  be  filled,  and  receiving  nominations  was  made 
part  of  the  order  of  business  for  the  next  meeting. 

We  may  infer  that  instruction  had  been  very  irregular,  as  qii  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1822,  Dr.  Morton  offered  at  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  a  resolu- 
tion which  declared  that  the  professors  of  the  faculty  of  natural  science 
must  ileliver  a  cx)urse  of  at  least  ten  lectures  in  each  year  on  subjects 
connected  with  their  departments,  and  that  failure  to  do  so  would  be 
regarded  as  abdicating  the  chair  in  which  it  o<'curs.  Whereupon  Prof. 
Barton  writes  to  the  boai'd  that,  whilst  he  is  aware  the  resolution  was 
not  intruded  for  him,  it  is  proper  he  should  say  he  had  lectured  in  the 
winters  of  1810,  1817,  1818,  1819,  1820,  1821,  and,  further,  that  he  had 
refused  to  receive  the  fees  from  the  students.  The  botanical  instruc- 
tion in  1821  was  discontinued  because  a  class  could  not  be  made  up. 
He  was,  liowever,  resolved  to  continue  in  tlie  line  of  his  duty. 

March  r>,  1822,  William  Hyppolytus  Keating  was  elected  profCvSSor 
of  mineralogy  and  chemistry,  and  Thomas  Say  professor  of  natural  his- 
tory, including  geology.  A  year  later  the  trustees  allowed  Prof.  Keat- 
ing to  join  Maj.  Long's  expedition,  which  was  to  explore  the  St.  Peters 
River  to  its  source.  Prof.  Barton,  in  1825,  is  still  anxious  for  improve- 
ments to  his  lecture  room. 


THE  BtOLOGICAL  flCttOOL.  '  331 

Prof.  Keating's  services  seem  to  have  been  in  demand,  for  tbe  board 
in  182()  again  excused  liim  from  lecturing  and  allowed  bim  to  visit  tbe 
mines  of  Mexico.  The  excuse  probably  was  readily  granted  in  the  ab- 
sence of  students  to  teach  or  money  to  pay  a  professor. 

In  all  this  one  may  recognize  an  earnest  desire  on  the  part  of  both 
professors  and  trustees  to  do  their  respective  duties.  The  probability 
is  there  was  no  fault  on  either  side.  It  was  simply  a  lamentable  lack 
of  funds,  which  brought  ft^ilure  where  success  was  deserved. 

The  crisis,  however,  was  reached  in  March,  1827.  It  appears  that 
no  lectures  had  been  given  for  several  years  by  the  professor  of  natural 
history,  including  geology,  or  by  the  professor  of  comparative  anatomy, 
and  that  the  professor  of  botany  was  then  holding  the  professorship  of 
materia  medica  in  the  newly  started  Jefferson  Medical  College.  All 
this  irregularity  was  to  be  inquired  into  by  the  trustees,  and  a  commit- 
tee was  aj)poiuted  to  attend  to  the  matter.  There  was  no  common 
basis  for  any  amicable  settlement,  and  the  minutes  show  that  early  in 
1828  the  faculty  of  natural  science  was  unanimously  abolished,  on  the 
motion  of  Mr.  Binney. 

Now,  however,  it  appears  that  the  medical  facultj^  which  would  have 
no  botany  while  Dr.  Barton  occupied  the  chair,  had  become  suddenly 
solicitous  about  that  science,  and,  as  a  result,  the  trustees  reestab- 
lished the  chair  of  botany  in  1829,  placing  it  on  the  same  footing  as  it 
was  before  the  institution  of  the  faculty  of  natural  science,  and  Mr. 
Solomon  W.  Conrad  was  speedily  chosen  to  fill  it.  The  appointment 
was  probably  the  best  that  could  have  been  made.  Mr.  Conrad  was, 
as  stated  by  one  of  his  contemporaries,  an  "  amiable  man"  and  an  ex- 
cellent botanist,  and  was  probably  the  earliest  to  "attempt  in  the 
United  States  to  group  our  plants  in  a«'Cordance  with  the  natural 
method." 

Eiforts  were  made  in  1830  to  restore  the  chair  of  comparative  anat- 
omy, but,  it  appears,  without  success. 

For  a  brief  period  the  name  of  the  distinguished  Henry  C.  Rogers 
appears  on  the  college  catalogue  in  connection  with  the  chair  of  geol- 
ogy, and  George  B.  Wood,  then  one  of  the  best  known  of  American 
physicians  and  holding  the  chair  of  materia  medica  in  the  medical  fac- 
ulty, announced  for  a  single  year  that  besides  his  cabinet  there  was  a 
conservatory  from  which  are  exhibit^nl,  in  the  tresh  and  growing  state, 
the  native  and  exotic  medicinal  plants. 

In  the  catalogue  for  1850-51,  on  the  same  page  with  the  faculty  of 
arts,  is  a  list  of  five  "professors  not  members  of  the  faculty  of  arts." 
Among  them  Samuel  S.  Ilaldeman,  A.  M.,  is  professor  of  natural  his- 
tory. Probably  the  country  has  produced  few  more  learned  men  than 
he. 

Charles  B.  Trego,  who  sustained  a  long  and  honored  relation  to  the 
university,  first  appears  as  a  "professor  not  a  member  of  the  faculty  of 
arts"  in  connection  with  mineralogy  and  geology. 


332  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Joseph  Leidy  began  his  illustrious  career  in  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1853-5-1,  and  in  the  year  following-  Professor  Trego  added 
pala'outology  to  the  duties  of  his  chair  in  the  new  Department  of 
Mines. 

The  Department  of  Mines,  Arts,  and  Manufactures  became  in  18G3-G4 
the  College  of  Agriculture,  Mines,  Arts,  and  Mechanic  Arts,  and  among 
the  elective  chances  for  the  degree  of  b.  s.  we  find  specified  two  courses 
in  physiology  and  natural  history.  , 

Thus  far  but  little  came  of  all  the  efforts  to  create  a  course  in  natural 
history*  There  is  something  almost  pathetic  in  the  reiterated  attempts 
made  by  the  trustees.  Baffled  in  one  direction  they  immediately  tried 
in  another  J  now  endeavoring  to  enlist  interest  and  cooperation  under 
this  name,  again  under  that,  but  with  disappointment  as  a  uniform  re- 
sult. We  can,  however,  see  that  the  successful  forces  were  gathering 
and  that  a  favorable  result  was  but  a  question  of  time.  It  is  worth 
while,  however,  to  collate  all  these  failures,  because  they  carry  with 
them  lessons  of  encouragement  to  other  often  disapjiointed  institutions. 

Few  men  of  his  time  were  more  fully  aAvare  of  the  weak  points  in 
our  system  of  medical  education  than  Prof.  George  B.  Wood.  He  was 
not  only  wise,  but  he  was  wealthy  and  generous.  In  the  catalogue  for 
18G5-G6  the  auxiliary  faculty  of  medicine  first  appears.  Each  of  the 
faculty  of  five  received  for  a  course  of  thirty-five  lectures  the  sum  of 
$50G. 

As  organized  by  Dr.  Wood,  it  stood  thus:  Harrison  Allen,  M.  d.,  x>ro 
fessor  of  zoiilogy  and  comparative  anatomy;  H.  C.  Wood,  m.  d.,  pro 
lessor  of  botany;  F.  V.  Hayden,  m.  d.,  professor  of  geology  and  miner 
alogy;  Henry  Hartshorne,  M.  d.,  professor  of  hygiene;  John  S.  Keese, 
M.  D.,  professor  of  medical  jurisdiction  and  toxicology. 

The  founder  not  only  cared  for  this  faculty  during  his  life,  but  ])ro 
yided  for  it  in  his  last  will,  where  he  expresses  himself  thus : 

It  is  uiy  desire  that  said  faculty  and  piofessorsliips  shall  be  permanently  estab- 
lislu'd:  Tber«fore,  for  that  purpose  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  the  trustees  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  Fifty  Thonsand  Dollars,  in  trust,  to  be  kept  safely  invested 
in  /ground  rents,  first  mortgages,  or  in  the  loans  of  the  City  of  I'hiladt'lphia,  ot  the 
8tate  of  Pennsylvania,  or  of  the  United  States. 

Dr.  Wood  recognized  that  the  salary  was  a  meager  one  and  si>ecially 
specified  that  "such  salaries  will  be  in  addition  to  any  fees  that  may 
be  ])aid  by  the  ])upils." 

The  work  done  and  the  spirit  awakened  by  this  faculty  led  to  a  hope 
for  still  better  things.  It  at  least  nurtured  the  belief  that  Philadelphia 
might  sf>me  day  have  a  properly  equipped  school  of  natural  science. 

Lengthening  the  medical  course  caused  conflict  between  it  and  the 
auxiliary  course  as  to  hours  available  for  instruction.  To  obviate  this 
and  also  to  introduce  the  natural  sciences  into  the  work  of  the  college 
a  course  ]»reparatory  to  medicine  was  announced  in  the  catalogue  for 
1882-83.    Students  contemplating  medical  study  were  allowed  to  enter 


THE    BIOLOGICAL    SCHOOL.  333 

this  course  at  the  end  of  the  sophomore  year,  and  by  omission  of  cer- 
tain branches  liave  time  to  give  special  attention  to  chemistry,  physics, 
physiology,  zoology,  and  botany  without  destroying  their  chance  for  a 
degree.  Tliere  was  but  little  liope  for  a  course  of  this  charac-ter  at 
that  time.  The  old  question  of  conflicting  hours  alone  presented  insu- 
perable difficulties  with  the  limited  teaching  force  available. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Horace  Jayne,  a  graduate  of  both  the  lit<^rary  and 
medical  departments  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  went  abroad 
for  study  and  devoted  several  years  to  examination  of  the  most  cele- 
brated laboratories  of  the  old  world.  He  had  fully  measured  tlie  need 
in  rhiladeli)hia  of  a  well-eciuipped  biological  school,  separate  and  dis- 
tinct from  any  other,  and  all  other  departments,  or,  if  in  association 
with  any  otlier,  then  on  such  terms  that  the  independence  of  its  instrnc- 
tion  would  not  be  endangered.  Me  gave  himself  to  the  task  of  develop- 
ing the  school  and  largely  aided  it  financially  himself,  and  Provost 
Pepi)er  joined  heartily  in  the  movement,  subsciibing  himself  $5,(K)0. 
The  contributions  made  by  Dr.  Jayne,  personally,  at  that  time  and  sub- 
sequently, have  not  been  less  than  $50,000.  Another  factor  must  be 
mentioned  here.  In  the  latter  part  of  1883  Prof.  Harrison  Allen  called 
nttention  to  our  shortcomings  in  the  matter  of  education  of  women  by 
an  admirable  article  in  The  American  (then  published  in  Philadeli)hia). 
It  came  upon  the  citizens  with  the  force  of  a  surprise.  The  Philadelphia 
^Vcademy  of  Natural  Sciences,  in  its  long  and  admirable  career,  which 
hapjnly  still  continues,  was  supposed  to  be  all-sufficient  for  scientific  in- 
struction. Its  function  the  public  appearJ?  to  have  misunderstood.  Jts 
services  to  science  had  been  and  are  vast,  but  its  legitimate  work  h.id. 
been  original  investigation  or,  at  most,  training  the  few  si)ecially  en- 
dowed youth  who  were  destined  to  become  naturalists,  even  in  lack  ot 
systematic  training.  The  general  scientific  instruction  in  classes  and 
by  supervised  laboratory  work  remained  for  the  bicdogical  school  to  do. 
Furthermore,  under  the  inspiration  of  the  occasion  it  was  declared  by  the 
public  and  assented  to  by  the  trustees  that  this  instruction  should  be 
for  both  sexes  alike.  It  was  to  raise  a  perfected  system  of  education, 
different  from,  but  equal  in  value  to,  the  ordinary  college  course;  not 
in  opposition  to  the  latter,  but  in  sympatJiy  with  and  parallel  to  it.  It 
was  to  allow  youth  of  different  predilections  a  choice  between  two 
equally  valuable  lines  of  mental  training  and  so  to  educate  by  one 
method  those  who  declined  to  be  educated  by  another. 

The  new  school  opened  December  4,  1884,  with  an  address  by  Prof. 
Harrison  Allen,  after  Provost  Pepper  in  liis  usual  clear  manner  had  de- 
fined the  purpose  of  the  meeting.    Teaching  began  at  once. 

The  faculty  and  school  as  at  first  organized. 

William  Pepper,  M.  D.,  ll.  d.,  provost  of  the  University  and  ex  officio 
president  of  the  faculty;  Joseph  Liedy,  m.  d.,  ll.  d.,  professor  of  zoo}ogy 
and  director  of  the  school;  Joseph  T.  Rothrock,  >L  D.,  B.  s.,  professor 
of  botany ;  Horace  Jayne,  M.  D.,  b.  a.,  professor  of  vertebrate  morph- 


334  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

ology;  Benjamin  Sharp,  M.  D.,  ph.  d.,  profesfior  of  invertebrate  morph- 
ology; M.  Archer  Randolph,  M.  D.,  instructor  in  physiology. 

The  building  as  originally  constructed  was  of  brick,  two  stories  high, 
82  feet  long  by  47  wide.  The  lower  floor,  l)esides  two  laboratories,  each 
30  feet  long  by  22.5  wide,  has  a  lecture  room  and  museum  of  about  the 
same  size.  A  greenhouse  is  connected  with  one  of  the  laboratories 
and  furnishes  abundant  material  for  class  Avork.  On  the  second  floor 
are  the  rooms  of  the  professors,  several  special  laboratories,  the  working 
librarj',  and  the  herbarium,  besides  which  the  halls  contain  cases  now 
used  for  the  nucleus  of  a  museum  of  economic  botany.  In  the  cellar  are 
rooms  for  storing  and  assorting  materials  and  a  well-lighted,  comfort- 
able assembly  room  for  the  students,  containing  also  closets  for  their 
working  clothing,  etc 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  more  space  was  required,  and  in  two  or 
three  years  from  the  date  of  opening,  a  third  story,  imperatively  de- 
manded, was  added.  This  contained  a  laboratory,  80  feet  long  by  22.6 
wide,  and  seven  smaller  rooms  devoted  to  special  purposes.  Every  iat- 
tention  was  given  to  secure  the  best  and  most  light. 

From  the  outset  it  was  determined  that  each  student  should  have  a 
comi)lete  working  outfit  of  his  own,  for  which  he  should  make  a  deposit 
in  money,  receipt,  and  be  held  responsible.  This  rule  has  been  carried 
out,  so  that  a  compound  and  a  simple  microscope  and  a  full  assortment 
of  chemicals,  test  tubes,  etc.,  is  in  the  private  closet  of  every  biological 
student.  It  may  be  added  that  there  was  a  double  purpose  in  this: 
First,  to  secure  the  largest  advantage  to  the  student  while  at  work,  to 
encourage  investigation  out  of  college  hours,  and,  second,  to  teach  him 
the  care  of  instruments  by  making  him  responsible  for  them.  It  may 
be  claimed  that  the  plan  has  accomplished  all  that  was  intended.  It  is 
carried  so  far  that  nothing  will  be  received  from  the  student  at  the  end 
of  the  term,  until  it  is  inspected  and  found  to  be  clean  and  in  satisfactory 
condition.  If  it  is  not,  a  sum  sufficient  to  make  good  the  consequences 
of  neglect  or  rough  usage  is  deducted  from  his  deposit.  In  no  case  is 
a  -bad  compound  microscope  furnished.  The  powers  range  from  50  to 
1,(K)0  diameters,  and  sharp  definition  of  the  optical  parts  of  each  micro- 
scope is  carefully  considered.-  The  fact  that  the  yearly  damage  to  the 
instruments  is  small  is  good  evidence  of  the  care  taken  by  the  student 
and  also  of  the  skill  acqui.r<'d  in  using  them. 

The  botanical  garden,  so  long  anticipated,  has  been  at  length  com- 
menced. A  considerable  area  has  been  set  ai)art  for  it.  A  limited 
fund,  derived  from  the  estate  of  the  late  Dr.  Geoige  B.  Wood,  is  avail 
able  for  its  supjiort,  and  it  already  contains  a  considerable  number  of 
rare  and  desirable  plants.  It  is  confidently  hoped  that  the  coming 
year  will  x)roduce  notewortlfy  additions  to  the  i>lants  already  growing 
there. 

The  biological  school  was  at  first  intended  to  furnish  suitable  prep- 
aration for  those  contemplating  the  study  of  medicine.  This  was  simply 
a  continuation  of  the  idea  which  a  few  years  earlier  had  found  ex- 


THE    BIOLOGICAL    SCHOOL.  335 

pression  in  a  like  course  in  the  Towiie  scientific  school  of  the  Univer- 
sity, which  course  had  been  abolished  when  the  biological  school  was 
opened.  It  was  also  hoped  that  it  n)ight  induce  a  considerable  num- 
ber Avho  did  not  desire  a  regular  collegiate  education- to  add  something 
to  their  training  before  they  commenced  the  avocations  which  they  had 
selected.  It  is  fair  to  say  that  these  reasonable  exjyectations  have  been 
fulfilled. 

Original  investigations  are  now  being  made  by  eight  advanced 
students  which  promise  important  economic  and  scientific  results. 
Tliere  is  abuntlant  evidence  that  this  class  c^f  students  will  increase 
year  by  year  and  that  the  biological  school  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania will  add  its  share  to  the  knowledge  of  the  world. 

Without  endowment  and  with  no  settle<l  means  of  support,  tiustiog 
wholly  upon  the  public  demand  for  biological  instruction  to  furnish  the 
means  of  conducting  the  school,  it  was  found  at  first  impracticable  to 
insist  for  entrance  to  the  vschool  on  an  examination  as  high  even  as 
that  required  for  admission  to  the  freshmen  year  of  <mr  ordinary 
American  college.  Neither  could  we  hope  to  retain  the  majority  of  the 
students  for  more  than  two  years.  Hence  Jio  degree  was  or  could  be 
given  under  the  circumstances.  The  student  who  passed  his  final  ex- 
amination at  the  end  of  his  two-yeai*  course  was  simply  awarded  a 
certificate.  ^ 

In  1892  a  further  advance  was  made  when,  on  reconmiendation  of  the 
medical  faculty,  the  board  of  trustees  voted  that  students  Avho  have 
taken  in  their  college  course  instruction  in  biology  and  kindred  sub- 
jects equivalent  to  that  given  in  the  ten-year  course  x)reparatory  to 
medicine,  and  have  received  the  bachelor's  degree,  shall  be  admitted  to 
the  second  year  of  the  new  required  four-year  course  in  medicine. 

MAMMALIAN   ANATOMY. — I'UOF.   HORACK   JAYNE. 

This  course  teaches  the  exact  anatomy  of  one  typical  mammal  and 
the  modes  of  dissection.  The  skeleton  is  the  first  part  studied,  that 
of  the  cat  being  made  the  basis,  though  when  typical  structures  are 
not  well  shown  by  it  recourse  is  had  to  other  species. 

Each  student  is  supjdied  with  a  (complete,  disarticulated  skeleton  of 
the  cat  and  has  access  to  the  large  collection  of  articulated  skeletons 
and  special  preparations  illustrating  osteology. 

From  the  skeleton  of  the  cat  the  student  turns  to  the  muscles,  dis- 
secting these  and  subse([uently  the  viscera,  arteries,  veins,  and  nerves. 
Consideration  of  the  central  nervous  system  is  left  to  the  last.  Ex- 
planatory lectures  on  prei)aration  and  preservation  of  anatomical  ma- 
terial, precautions  insuring  cleanliness  and  accuracy,  and  the  general 
details  of  dissection  are  given  before  work  Is  begun.  Special  explana- 
tion precedes  all  special  study. 

Lectures,  laboratory  work,  examinations,   and  frequent  "quizzes" 


336  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

oombiue  to  impress  these  facts.  The  frequency  of  practical  exainiua 
tions  discourages  excessive  readinji  sind  (>bli}4:es  the  studeut  to  trust 
more  to  obs«'rvation. 

T<»  this  eourse  six  liours  each  weelv  are  given  throughout  the  year; 
thougli  in  the  se<;ond  term  six  hours  aiUlitional  may  be  elected. 

Th«'  cimrse^iu  vertebrate  morphohigy  is  open  to  students  of  the  sec- 
ond year  who  have  ctunplcted  the  work  in  general  biology,  iuvertebrat« 
morphoh)gy,  and  manunalian  anatomy.     It  embraces  the  careful  study 
of  tivc  or  six  types,  beginning  in  each  case  with  external  character- 
istics and  their  importance  as  a  means  of  classiticati<ni.     This  is  fol 
lowed  by  exercises  in  classiftcation  Avith  the  use  of  keys  and  text,  nnuli 
as  analytii-al  botany  is  studied.     Wlien  the  student  lias  a  fair  idea  of 
the  tyi^e's  place  in  nature,  the  anatomical  work  proper  Iwgins.     Par 
ticular  attention  is  of  c(mrse  paid  to  the  com]>arative  side  of  the  sub- 
ject and  to  the  intiuence  of  modes  of  life  upon  structure.     In  this  way 
the  fish,  frog,  terrapin^  and  bird  are  studied.     Ample  material  is  fur 
nished  and  goo<l  diagrams  and  models  are  at  hand.     The  course  re/(iuires 
six  hours  each  week  throughout  the  second  term. 

The  course  in  comparative  osteology  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory, 
because  of  the  abundaiuH'  of  illustrative  materials  in  the  museum.  The 
collection  is  rich  in  complete  articulated  skeletons,  in  parts  mounted 
to  shoAv  special  characters,  and  in  series  of  skulls  mounted  with  the  con- 
stituent bone  separated,  but  in  relative  position.  There  is  in  a<ldition 
a  great  accumulation  of  disarticulated  skeletons  and  separate  bones. 
As  the  student  is  supposed  to  be  familiar  with  anatomy  and  zoology, 
the  actual  instiiiction  is  given  by  informal  talks  during  the  progress  of 
the  work. 

(rraduate  students  may  have  advanced  work  in  vertebrate  mor])hol- 
ogy.  This  is  adapted  to  the  si)ecial  needs  of  the  individual  and  de- 
pends upon  his  own  preparation  and  partly  also  on  the  line  of  study  in 
which  the  professor  may  himself  be  engaged  at  the  time. 

ANATOMY   AND   PHYSIOLOGY    OK    TLANTS. — I'KOF.    WII.I.IAM    I'oWKM.   WJLSON. 

The  botany  is  wholly  from  plants  and  by  experimental  methods. 
Books  are  only  used  for  reference.     The  student  handles  and  studies 
the  thing  itself.    By  the  use  of  simple  and  compwind  microscopes  pro 
vided  for  each  pupil,  the  lower  as  Avell  as  the  higher  forms  of  plant  life 
are  subjected  to  careful  examination  and  study. 

Tlie  different  parts  of  the  plant  are  considered  at  one  and  the  same 
time  in  the  first  year  from  three  points  of  view:  that  of  fi)rm  (morphol 
ogy),  structure  (anatomy),  and  use  (function). 

In  the  second  year  the  student  takes  a  practical  course  in  jdant 
anatomy.  This  opens  with  a  most  careful  study  of  the  living  jdant 
cell  under  varying  conditions.  The  different  substances  and  tissues 
are  considered  in  detail.  The  systems  of  tissues  in  the  root,  stem, 
leaves,  flowers,  and  fruit  (together  with  some  attention  to  their  func- 
tions) constitute  the  first  half  of  this  year's  work. 


THE    BIOLOGICAL    SCHOOL.  337 

If  the  student  wishes  Ui  continue  in  botany  durini^  the  third  year 
1k'  may  pursue  a  course  of  laboratory  work  in  plant  physiology.  The 
method  followed  is  by  dividing  the  subject  bcfine  the  cla«s  into  parts 
and  portioningthe.se  onk  to  th«'  different  members.  In  this  way  the 
subject  of  germination,  which  is  now  before  the  clasi?,  Ir.us  been  sepa- 
rated intf) — 

(«)  The  biology  of  the  see<i,  which  invites  a  careful  study  of  all  the 
parts  considered  in  relation  to  each  other  and  also  to  all  the  different 
external  conditions  which  may  arise  in  its  development. 

(h)  The  changes  in  form  of  the  parts  of  the  seed  during  germination, 
with  reasons  for  the  same. 

{<■)  The  chemical  changes  in  the  seed  during  germination,  with  the 
transfer  and  ai>propriation  of  the  food  materials  when  and  where  growth 
is  taking  place. 

{(I)  The  absorption  of  water  by  the  seed. 

(<')  The  absorption  and  excretion  of  gases  by  the  seed,  and  measure- 
ment of  the  same. 

( /■)  The  temperature  of  the  seed  during  germination  considered  in 
relation  to  normal  and  intramoleculai  respiration,  etc. 

Each  student  considers  one  of  these  topics,  making  such  experiments 
with  living  seeds  as  to  demonstrate  the  points  under  consideration. 
After  having  worked  the  whole  subject  over  he  presents  his  conclusions, 
illustrated  with  his  experiments,  to  the  class.  The  professor  in  charge 
conunen'ts  on  both  the  results  and  the  method  of  presenting  them,  ad- 
ding  any  new  material  which  may  have  been  neglected  by  the  student. 

In  this  way  much  ground  can  be  gone  over  with  satisfaction  to  all 
concerned,    The  other  subjects  are  studied  in  the  same  manner. 

sySTEMATIC    AND    KCON'OMIC    UDTAXY, — PHOF,  .T,  T.  ROTHIKH'K. 

This  begins  in  the  latter  half  of  the  first  year,  and,  as  the  work  is  con- 
fined to  the  flowering  and  the  higher  (so-called)  flowerless  plants,  Gray's 
Miinual  of  Botany  is  used  in  connection  with  the  abundant  material 
furnished  for  analytical  work. 

The  student  is  made  aware  that  naming  a  i>lant  botanically  is  only  a 
menus  to  an  end,  the  real  object  being,  first,  to  enable  him  to  avail 
himself  of  the  literatui-e  connected  with  the  plant  and  to  designate  it 
by  such  a  name  as  will  leave  no  doubt  as  to  what  ])lant  he  is  speaking 
or  writing  of,  and,  in  the  second  place,  to  lead  him  to  a  recognition  of 
the  phint's  place  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  as  a  deduction  from  an 
ascertained  structure.  It  is  worthy  of  note  here  that  there  is  a  faidty 
tendency  in  many  idaces  to  consider  botany  almost  wholly  from  the  de 
veloi)nient  of  the  individual,  leaving  the  evolution  of  species  and  their 
lelation  to  each  other  in  the  background.  This  is  to  be  deprecate<l,  if 
for  no  other  reasou  than  because  in  our  couutjy  the  most  itnj)ortaut 
botanical  work  to  be  done  is,  first  of  all,  to  describe  and  name  what 
l^lants  we  have,  and  to  do  this  a  generation  at  least  of  trained  syste- 
JL180 33 


338  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

niatists  will  yet  be  required.  To  neglect  systematic  botany  at  this  junc- 
ture for  the  study  of  individual  ]>lauts  wholly  would  be  like  an  at- 
tempt to  study  philology  before  the  formation  of  a  lexicon. 

The  first  work  of  the  student  in  this  department  is  to  study  tbe 
species,  as  an  aggregate  of  individuals;  second,  to  consider  the  genus 
as  an  aggregate  of  related  species;  third,  to  study  genera  as  consti- 
tuting orders,  etc.  In  this  way  an  idea  of  the  natural  grouping  of 
plants  is  obtained,  together  with  some  conception  of  the  relative  value 
of  the  different  points  of  structure.  Exact  written  descriptions  of 
l)lants  are  also  required,  not  only  as  a  test  of  what  the  student  actually 
has  seen,  but  as  an  incentive  to  still  closer  observation.  Six  hours 
each  week  are  given  to  the  work  in  this  department. 

In  the  latter  half  of  the  second  year  the  student  may  decide  between 
the  (so-called)  flowerless  plants  and  economic  botany. 

The  methods  of  study  of  the  flowerless  plants  are  much  the  sam"e  as 
in  the  work  of  the  first  year,  making  allowance  of  course  for  dift'er- 
ences  inherent  in  the  subjects  and,  further,  for  the  lack  of  suitable  text- 
books in  a  large  portion  of  the  field  covered. 

Economic  botany  admits  of  division  according  to  the  special  object 
the  student  may  have  in  view.  If  he  contemplates  medical  study,  it 
is  of  course  obvious  that  the  greater  portion  of  his  limited  time  should 
be  devoted  to  our  native  remedial  plants*,  if,  on  the  other  hand,  he  in- 
<'lines  to  a  mechanical  career,  the  structure  of  our  ditferent  species  of 
wood  must  more  nearly  concern  him ;  or  if  lie  has  a  mercantile  life 
in  view,  the  fiber  and  the  starch-producing  plants  would  naturally  in- 
terest him  most. 

It  is  of  course  clear  that  no  such  couise  of  botanical  study  as  could 
be  concluded  in  two  years  would  be  other  than  elementary  in  its  char- 
acter. A  third  or  even  a  fourth  year  could  be  taken  with  advantage 
in  the  biological  school.  Whilst  the  institution  is  amply  equipped  for 
advanced  botanical  teaching  in  most  directions,  it  still  lacks  important 
facilities  for  the  study  of  the  life  history  of  theiower  plants.  This  de-* 
mand  of  course  will  soon  be  met,  for  it  is  inconceivable  that  a  field  of 
such  vast  practical  importance  to  the  agriculturist,  the  fruit-grower, 
and  the  horticulturist  should  remain  unnoticed. 

MISTOMXiV. — PROF.   JOHN    KYDKK. 

It  is  sought  in  this  branch  to  familiarize  the  undergraduate  student 
with  the  great  principles  of  the  science  of  histology.  The  subject  is 
treated,  it  is  believed,  in  a  manner  ditferent  from  that  jiursued  in  most 
schools.  Beginning  with  the  fonnal  changes  and  the  apparent  cycle  of 
causes  at  work  in  producing  many  of  them  in  the  simplest  living  forms, 
the  student  is  in  a  measure  prei)ared  to  understand  the  formal  changes 
in  the  various  types  of  animal  cells. 

The  work  is  thus  rendered,  it  is  thought,  more  interesting  to  the 
thoughtful  student,  since  he  is  brought  into  conta<^t  with  a  much  wider 


THE    BIOLOGICAL    SCHOOL.  339 

« 
range  of  data  than  would  otherwise  be  possible.  If,  for  example,  in 
addition  to  the  morphological  fa<it8,  he  is  given  some  general  hints  and 
illustrations  of  the  physical  and  physfological  facts  involved,  he  is  ulti- 
mately prepared  to  appreciate  "far  more  keenly  the  value  of  histological 
work  and  its  transcendent  importance  in  relation  to  physiology  at 
large. 

EMBRYOLOGY.— I'KOF.    JOHN   RYDER. 

The  embryological  work  is  confined  to  the  second  term  and  is  made 
comparative  only  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  limited  time  at  the 
disposal  of  the  student.  While  it  would  be  desirable  to  render  the 
course  essentially  comparative,  experience  has  shown  that  it  is  better 
to  confine  the  undergraduate  student  in  his  work  mainly  to  a  single 
type,  in  order  that  the  training  so  gained  may  serve  as  a  guide  to  wwk 
of  a  more  general  character. 

The  development  of  the  chick  has  been  followed  hitherto  as  offering 
the  best  and  most  accessible  form  for  a  study  of  the  early  history  of  the 
vertebrate  body.  This  is  done  for  the  reason  that  the  development  of 
the  vertebrate  is  of  the  most  direct  and  important  interest  to  our  stu- 
dents, many  of  whom  afterwards  enter  upon  the  study  of  medical 
science. 

While  much  the  same  plan  is  followed  as  in  the  preceding  histolog- 
ical course,  the  method  involves  the  use  of  sections,  surface  views  of 
whole  embryos,  etc.,  to  illustrate  the  details.  Practical  laboratory 
work  extends  over  six  hours  each  week,  with  lectures  illustrating 
each  phase  of  the  subject  in  hand  by  diagrams,  blackboard  drawings, 
preparations,  etc.  Special  stress  is  laid  upon  the  sequence  and  signifl. 
cance  of  the  ste[>s  of  development,  so  that  the  student  is  here  again,  as 
in  the  histological  course,  brought  into  a  pra<;tical  relation  with  the 
facts  and  their  bearings  in  a  general  theory  of  development. 

CHEMISTRY.— PROF.  KDGAR   K.  SMITH. 

The  chemical  instruction  given  to  the  biological  student  during  the 
first  year  of  his  course  consists  in  the  execution  of  a  rather  long  series 
of  experiments  upon  the  uonmetals  and  the  metals,  with  freipient  con- 
versational lectures  and  "quizzes."  Much  time  is  djevoted  to  the  equa- 
tion writing  of  problems,  based  upon  the  more  important  exi)eriments 
and  the  principles  involved  in  them. 

In  the  second  year  qualitative  analysis  is  pursued.  The  reactions 
of  bases  and  acids  are  carefully  studied,  after  which  '•  unknown  solu- 
tions and  solids"  are  worked  upon  until  the  student  has  acquired  such 
proficiency  that  he  can  carry  on  quantitative  work  with  satisfW-tion  to 
his  instructor  and  with  profit  to  himself.  Recitations  are  regularly 
held  on  the  work  of  the  year. 

The  course  of  lectures  on  organic  chemistr>  is  also  open  to  the  second- 
year  biological  student,  while  practical  study  in  tliis  branch  is  afforded 
to  all  who  are  sufl&ciently  advanced  to  profit  thereby. 


340  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

GENKRAI,   BIOLOGY. — PKOF.    .JOHN   M.    MA.CKARLANE. 

In  this  class  the  attention  of  the  student  is  first  directed  to  the  con- 
struction and  use  of  the  microscope.  Thereafter  the  action  and  vahie 
of  staining  agents  and  of  reagents  is  praotically  studied,  iind  methods 
of  examination  and  permanent  preservation  of  objects  are  engjiged  in. 
By  lectures  and  practical  laboratory  work  a  knowledge  is  gained  of  the 
comparative  structure  and  functions  of  vegetable  and  mineral  cells. 

The  student  is  then  in  a  position  to  trace  the  life  cycle  of  selected 
vegetable  and  animal  types  that  can  be  utilized  later  in  illustrating  the 
fundamental  features  of  the  organic  world.  In  the  lecture  room  and 
the  laboratory  each  type  is  exhaustively  treated,  and  careful  drawings 
are  made  by  members  of  the  class  of  the  organs  and  tissues  of  each. 
While  this  work  is  in  progress  students  engage  individually  in  prepar- 
ing and  embedding  objects  in  frozen  gum,  in  celloidin,  and  in  paraflfin, 
for  future  sectioning  and  examination. 

The  concluding  lectures  of  the  course  deal  with  organic  evolution,  as 
illusbated  in  the  types  studied,  as  well  as  related  forms;  the  signifi- 
cance and  effect  of  symbrosis,  saprophytism,  parasitism,  and  general 
environmental  tuition  alike  in  the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms. 

Frequent  tutorial  revisals  are  given,  and  sectional  meetings  are  held 
for  such  special  work  as  the  measuring  of  microscopic  objects,  the 
photographing  of  these  for  accurate  illustration  purposes,  etc. 

The  Laboratory  of  Marine  Biology  at  Sea  Isle  City,  X.  J.,  was  founded 
in  1891.  It  gives  Opi>ortunity  for  the  study  of  living  forms,  and  is  oi)en 
•luring  the  summer  months.  Its  work  is  directed  by  the  faculty  of  the 
Biological  Sciiool.  The  laboratory  is  an  application  and  illustraLion 
of  Franklin's  ideas  of  "observation  and  reasoning  in  natural  history," 
feferred  to  in  his  Proposals  for  the  Edncation  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  school  is  under  the  general  dire(;tiou  of  Milton  J.  Greenman,  3i.  d.. 

The  establishment  of  the  Laboratory  of  Marine  Biology  upon  the 
New  Jersey  coast  is  the  outcome  of  a  careful  consideration  of  the 
methods  by  which  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  could  best  meet  its 
own  needs  and  the  refjuirements  of  students  of  biology  at  large. 

Since  the  intro<lu<'tion  of  the  study  of  Natural  History  into  the  pub- 
]u'  and  private  schools  and  colleges,  it  is  more  necessary  than  ever  be- 
fore that  ample  oi)"i>ortunities  for  the  study  of  living  things  shall  be 
offered  to  teachers  at  a  time  when  they  are  not  engaged  in  their  profes- 
sional duties. 

It  has  been  recognized  that  to  the  winter  work  in  the  city  laboratory 
there  should  be  added  courses  of  instruction  given  during  the  sum- 
mer, at  a  time  when  living  forms  are  at  their  best,  when  not  only  their 
structure  may  be  studied  but  also  their  modes  of  life  and  development 
may  be  followed  from  day  to  day.  To  meet  these  requirements  the 
Laboratory  of  Marine  Biology  has  been  established. 

The  selection  of  a  suitable  place  for  this  work  was  made  by  the  late 
Prof,  Joseph  Leidy.     Sea  Isle  City,  N.  J.,  was  selected  on  account  of 


THE    BIOLOGICAL   SCHOOL.  341 

the  riclmess  of  tile  siirroundiiig  fauna  and  flora,  and  tlie  accessibility 
of  the  place  to  several  important  cities.  The  laboratory  is  thus  pljired 
witjiin  easy  reach  of  a  large  number  of  students  of  Natural  History, 
and  aflbrds  investigators  \N^ho  desire  to  study  the  more  southern  types  of 
life,  a  desirable  place  to  carry  on  their  research  work. 

The  laboratory  grounds  comprising  five  acres  and  the  laboratory 
building  situated  at  Sea  Isle  City,  N.  J.,  on  tyudlam  Bay,  were  given  to 
the  university  by  Mr.  Charles  K.  Landis,  of  Vineland,  N.  J.,  and  the 
equipments  were  secured  by  generous  subscriptions  from  him  and  other 
friends  of  education. 

The  laboratory  building  is  a  large  two  storj'^  structure,  supplied  with 
twenty-five  aquaria  and  running  sea  water;  with  tables  and  other  labo- 
ratory furniture. 

The  laboratory  accommodates  sixteen  investigators  and  twenty  stu- 
dents. Besides  the  laboratory  building  the  station  is  furnished  with 
suitable  engines  for  i)umping  purposes;  storage  tanks  for  fresh  and  salt 
water;  collecting  apparatus,  such  as  seiner,  weirs,  dredges,  and  trawls. 
Three  sail-boats,  one  large  barge,  and  six  row-boats  are  owned  by  flie 
laboratory  and  used  for  collecting  in  the  bays  and  thoroughfares.  A 
private  dock  has  been  built  for  the  use  of  laboratory  boats. 

The  laboratory  building  was  ere(;ted  in  May,  1891,  and  the  entire 
summer  season  was  sjient  in  getting  apparatus  into  place  and  perfect- 
ing the  various  api)ointments  of  the  station.  The  scienyfic  work  Mas 
therefore  necessarily  limited.  That  which  was  done  consisted  of  some 
experiments  in  practical  oyster  culture  conducted  by  Prof.  John  A. 
Ryder,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  a  collection  of  the  fishes  of 
the  locality  was  made  by  Prof.  E.  U.  Cope,  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  a  large  collection  of  invertebrates  was  made  by  Prof. 
Hall,  of  Haverford  College. 

In  July,  1892,  the  second  season  in  the  existence  of  the  Marine  Labo- 
tory,  the  summer  school  was  opened  with  an  attendance  of  fifteen  stu- 
dents. 'Five  investigators  were  also  at  work  at  the  laboratory  in 
Aug-ust,  1892. 

The  Laboratory  of  Marine  Biology  is  a  part  of  the  School  of  Biology 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  teaching  at  the  summer 
school  is  done  by  the  faculty  of  biology  of  the  University,  aided  by  such 
persons  as  this  faculty  may  select. 

The  laboratory  and  aquarium  are  under  the  management  of  one  of 
the  members  of  the  faculty  who  is  chosen  to  take  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  summer  school  and  the  general  management  of  the  station. 
The  present  teaching  cori)s  consists  of  the  following  persons :  Horace 
Jayne,  m.  d..  Professor  of  Vertebrate  Morphology,  Dean  of  the  Faculty ; 
John  A.  Ryder,  ph.  d..  Professor  of  Comparative  Embryology;  John 
M.  Macfarlane,  sc.  d.,  f.  r.  s.  e.,  lately  Professor  of  Botany  in  the  Royal 
Veterinary  College  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland;  J.  Percy  Moore,  Frank  H. 
Moore,  Philip  Calvert,  assistants  in   Zoology;   Jesse  M.   Greenman, 


342  THE  UNIVERSITY  OV  PENNSYLVANIA, 

assistant  in  Botany;  Milton  J.  Greennian,  ph.  b.,  m.  d.,  in  cliarge  of  the 
Mttrinp  Laboratory  and  Aquarium.  This  laboratory  is  the  sixth  in  the 
history  of  American  marine  laboratories  to  be  established.  The'  Ander- 
son Laboratory,  established  by  the  elder  Agassiz,  at  Penikese,  was 
the  first  marine  laboratory  established  in  America.  Follow  ing  this 
came  Prof.  I^ainl's  laboratory  at  J^oank,  Conn.,  afterwards  at  Woods 
Holl,  Mass.,  then  Prof.  4^1exander  Agassiz's  laboratory  at  Newport, 
R.  I.  Later,  the  Chesapeake  Laboratory  was  organized  by  Prof.  W.  K. 
Brooks,  under  the  auspices  of  Johns  Hopkins  University.  Prof,  Brooks 
also  established  a  branch  laboratory  temi)orarily  at  Beaufort  and  later 
at  Nassau,  N.  P.,  West  Indies.  It  was  at  Prof.  Brooks'  Nassau  lab- 
oratory that  the  expedition  sent  out  by  the  Biological  School  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  made  extensive  collections  of  biological 
specimens  during  the  summer  of  1887. 

Following  Prof.  Brooks'  most  successful  efforts  in  the  South  came 
the  Boston  Marine  Laboratory,  at  Woods  H<.11,  Ma^ss.,  under  the  direc- 
torship of  Prof.  C.  O.  Whitman.  Probably  no  laboratory  on  the  Ameri- 
can coast  has  been  so  successful  as  the  Boston  Marine  Laboratory. 
The  natural  advantages  of  the  place  and  the  enthusiastic  sui)port 
which  it  has  received  fi'om  the  beginning  have  made  it  what  it  is. 
Next  in  the  chronological  order  stands  the  Laboratory  of  Marine  Biol- 
ogy of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  while  during  the  past  year 
the  Hopkins  Marine  Laboratory  of  theLeland  Stanford  University  haS 
been  established  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

At  the  laboratf)ry  during  the  first  session  (1892)  classes  in  zoology 
and  botany  have  been  conducted  and  the  lectures  have  been  richly 
illustrated  by  supplies  of  animals  and  plants  drawn  from  the  surround- 
ing country. 

Frequent  excursions  into  the  fields  and  on  the  bays  and  rivers  have 
been  made  by  the  students,  who  have  thereby  been  brought  into  inti- 
mate contact  with  living  objects  in  their  natural  hauots.  Collections 
of  laboratory  materials  have  been  made  by  a  number  of  teachers  who 
are  working  at  the  laboratorv,  and  numerous  lectures  have  been  deliv- 
ered by  members  of  the  teaching  corps.  The  experiments  in  practical 
oyster  culture,  which  proved  so  successful  last  year,  have  been  carried 
on  this  season  by  the  U.  S.  Fish  Commission,  under  the  directicm  of 
Prof.  John  A.  Ryder.  It  is  hoi)Pd  that  this  work  will  be  of  practical 
benefit  to  the  oystermen  and  aid  in  reestablishing  the  oyster  beds  of  the 
New  Jersey  coast. 


Chapter  XIV. 

THE  UNIVERSITY  HOSPITAL. 


As  far  as  appears,  the  first  words  toucliiiio-  this  liospital  were  uttered 
111)011  the  platform  of  the  Academy  of  Music  at  the  medical  commence- 
ment of  the  University  in  the  spring  of  1871. 

On  that  occasion  Dr.  H.  C.  Wood,  a  talented  and  ambitious  jihysician 
of  the  class  of  18()2,  fell  into  converse  with  a  friend  of  like  character- 
istics, ])r.  William  F.  Norris,  of  the  cla.ss  of  18fil,ai)d  they,  ^vith  a  third 
kindred  spirit,  Dr.  William  Pei)per,  of  the  class  of  18()4. 

That  which  they  spoke  of,  when  once  it  was  spoken  of,  quickly  became 
known  and  of  interest  to  all  the  friends  of  the  Medical  School. 

The  University  was  about  to  be  removed  from  Ninth,  near  Chostiuit 
street,  2  miles  westward,  over  the  Schuylkill  River.  Its  Medical  School 
could  not  follow  it,  unless  there  were  si^jacent  to  it  a  hospital,  and,  save 
that  of  the  Philadeliihia  Almshouse,  there  would  be  lume. 

To  leave  the  vicinity  of  the  old  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  the  most 
ancient  in  America  and  for  tifty  years  the  best  appointed  in  the  world, 
by  whose  bedsides  students  of  the  Tniversity  had  been  tauglit  ftu-  so 
many  years,  was  not  to  be  tliought  of,  unless  a  fitting  substitute  could 
be  obtained. 

How  to  do  this  was  the  thought  of  the  three  young  doctors  on  tliis 
commencement  day  of  1871.  To  do  this  became,  their  resolve.  There 
was  good  reason  for  this  resolution. 

The  new  position  of  the  University  was  to  be  in  a  beautiful  suburb 
of  the  growing  city.  Its  site  would  be  commanding,  s  ilnbrious,  and 
ample  for  future  wants.  Near  it  rows  of  houses  were  being  built  suit- 
able for  students'  dwellings.  To  keep  all  departments  of  the  University 
near  each  other  was  more  than  a  pleasing  thought;  it  was  likely  to  be 
an  economical  and  useful  measure. 

TIte  first  action  taken  under  these  views  was.  the  assembling  of  the 
medical  alumni  in  a  meeting  on  June  12,  1871,  under  the  chairmanship 
of  the  Hon.  Morton  McMichael. 

This  gentleman  was  editor  of  the  oldest  newspaper  in  America — a 
leader  of  political  thought,  though  not  an  office-holder — an  accom])lished 
orator,  with  special  facility  for  after-dinner  speaking,  a  most  genial  and 
popular  man,  of  whom  the  fondness  of  his  fellows  has  preserved  the 
remembrance  by  a  bronze  statue  in  Fairmount  Park. 

343 


344  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

His  indorsement  was  a  fortunate  initiation  of  the  movement.  The 
meeting-  <leterraine(l  that  the  inii»ortance  of  creating-  theliospital  should 
be  pressed  upon  the  medical  faculty  aiul  presente<l  to  the  IJoard  of 
Trustees  of  the  Universitj'. 

Tliere  then  sat  at  tliis  board  two  gentlemen  wlio  Jiad  been  mayors  of 
Philadelphia  before  the  act  had  been  i)assed  which  consolidated  its 
various  districts  into  one  city,  the  venerable  gfentleman  who  was  tbe 
father  of  that  act  and  the  foremost  real  estate  lawyer  of  the  city,  tlie 
Secretary  of  the  Navj'^  of  the  United  States,  a  gentleman  who  came  to 
occupy  a  seat  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  another  who 
became  minister  of  the  Unitetl  States  at  the  Court  of  St.  flames,  and 
other  gentlemen  of  like  prominence  in  their  avocations  and  professions. 

The  chairman  of  the  medical  committee  was  Dr.  George  B.  Wood^ 
who,  as  student,  professor,,  and  trustee,  from  youth  to  old  age,  had 
spent,  as  a  physician,  his  life  in  the  service  of  the  IJ^niversity. 

Such  a  body,  so  advised  as  to  its  medical  interests,  could  hardly  fail 
to  approve  of  the  ]>rojected  hospital.  It  promptly  agreed  to  appropri 
ate  ground  for  it.  The  faculty  quiciily  caught  the  feeling  of  the  liour 
and  appointed  a  committee  to  cooperate  with  one  from  the  alumni. 
The  joint  committee  prepai'ed  au  appeal  to  the  public,  which  was  signed 
by  a  number  of  influential  citizens.  A  meeting-  of  the  signers  of  this 
appeal  selected  a  hos])ital  finance  committee,  or  commission,  to  direct 
8ubsequent«inovements.  ' 

William  Pei)per,  M.  D.,  was  made  chairman  of  the  commission,  Saun- 
ders Lewis  was  elected  treasurer,  and  the  project  was  thus  fairly  on 

f(M>t. 

The  committee  placed  before  itself  no  less  a  task  than  the  collection 
of  $700,000.  Without  support  from  church  influence,  witli  no  exi>ecta- 
tion  of  great  gifts  under  the  i)romi)tings  of  religious  zeal,  sustained  by 
no  rich  class  or  profession,  relying  simply  on  the  statement  of  its  needs 
and  of  its  usefulness,  trusting  to  University  feeling,  but  trusting  more 
to  the  disposition  of  the  charitable,  it  ventured  upon  this  large  work. 

The  epoch  of  the  work  favored  its  success. 

Hearts,  stimidated  by  the  efforts  and  softened  by  the  sufferings  of 
the  war  of  the  rebellion,  Avere  responsive  to  the  calls  of  charity.  The 
financial  panic  of  1873  had  not  yet  come,  following  the  war,  and  purses 
were  yet  heavy  with  its  profits.  The  enormous  increase,  however,  in 
the  wealth  of  the  United  States  during  the  past  twenty  years  had  not 
then  been  reflected  in  the  great  fortunes  of  the  present  time.  Great 
donations,  in  the  modern  sense,  were  therefore  not  to  be  expe4';ted  from 
the  charitable,  and  but  one  such  was  made,  viz,  $5(),(MM),  by  Isaiah  V. 
Williamson. 

This  name  recalls  a  rentarkable  man,  one  who  then  was  by  sagacious 
investments  and  severest  ( though. not  imrsimonious)  economy,  amassing 
an  enormous  fortune  based  on  the  successes  of  early  life.     He  was  un-. 
known  as  a  giver  of  money,  famous  as  a  saver  of  it.     His  wealth,  how- 
ever, invited  attack  in  the  interest  of  the  hospital.    It  was  determined 


THE    UNIVERSITY    HOSPITAL.  346 

to  attempt  One  at  whatever  risk  of  re))ulse.  Dr.  Pepper  and  onp 
other  member  of  the  hosintal  commission  obtained  an  interview  w  ith 
liim  in  his  office,  one  of  the  darkest  litth'  rooms  in  one  of  tlie  narrow- 
est business  streets  of  IMiihidelphia. 

For  twenty  minutes  or  more  he  listened  in  silence  to  the  chxpience 
the  occasion  drew  forth,  brietly  asked  two  i)ertinent  (piestions,  silently 
listened  again  for  a  few  moments  to  the  replies,  said  he  would  think  the 
matter  over,  and  closed  the  interview.  Witlunit  further  solicitation  he 
announced  his  decision  in  a  few  weeks,  as  the  residt  of  his  own  thinking;. 

Whether  something  said  to  him  in  this  short  meeting  at  his  olhce 
wrought  a  change  in  his  nature,  or  whether  it  caught  the  moment  Jiis 
nature  was  of  itself  beginning  to  stir  towards  benevolence,  or  whether 
he  had  already  becoine  a  generous  giver  wijhout  the  knowletlge  of  his 
friends,  can  not  now  be  known.  Ortain  it  is  that  soon  thereafter  he 
began  a  s»Tics  of  great  public;  benefactions,  and-  that  henceforth  his 
name  was  associated  with  constant  liberality  and  his  little  office  be- 
came the  resort  of  those  who  sought  aid  for  others. 

Before  his  death  this  modest  gentleman,  who  moved  about  so  unos- 
tentatiously as  hardly  to  be  observed,  best«we<l  $.i,(HH>,(MJO  to  found  a 
school  for  training  mechanics,  and  was  supi>ose<l  to  have  devoted  more 
to  charity  than  had  been  <lone  by  any  other  private  man  wliile  in  life. 
The  Hnivcrsity  received  *10(),00()  ti-om  him  by  gift  and  $1(M),(M>0  by 
will.  Of  these  sums  half  fell  to  tht^  hosi>ital;  and  any  history  of  it 
would  be  incomplete  in  whi<'h  he  was  not  remembered. 

The  progress  of  the  work  was  aided  by  making  evident  the  need  for 
another  hospital  in  Philadelphia,'  by  accci)ting  subscriptions  jjayablc 
in  four  yearly  installments,  and  by  agreeing  that  any  donor  might  nomi- 
nate a  patient  to  a  IkmI  for  each  $~),0()()  giv<'n  by  him. 

As  attention  was  increasingly  fixed  upon  the  enterprise,  it  became 
evident  that  there  was  a  pressing  want  for  such  a  hospital  throughout 
Pennsylvania.  And  early  in  ISTli  it  was  detennined  to  ask  ai«l  from 
tlie  legislature,  which  was  then  in  session. 

The  application  for  this  was  based  upon  the  reasons  given  in  the 
original  appeal,  upon  the  need  for  the  hospital,  an<l  the  tluty  of  the 
►State  to  care  for  its  indigent  sick  and  wounded. 

Within  thirty  years  preceding  the  appeal  the  population  of  the  State 
had  doubled,  without  a  proportionate  increase  of  hospitals,  although 
the  growth  was  chiefly  of  those  engaged  in  the  dangerous  occupations; 
in  the  cities,  of  artisans  and  manufacturers,  and  in  the  coal  and  iron 
regions,  of  the  mining  classes. 

From  1840  to  1871,  for  example,  the  population  of  Philadelphia  grew 
from  2r)0,000  to  700,000,  her  manufacturing  capital  from  811,587,000  to 
.$22r),000,000,  and  her  free-hospital  beds  from  GOO  to  only  1,100;  while  the 
tons  of  coal  mined  in  the  State  increased  from  700,0(M>  to  22,500,000, 
with  but  a  trifling  addition  to  hospital  beds  in  the  mining  regions. 

'  New  York  City,  with  1,000,00<)  ptople.  lia.l  f..325  free  beds,  and  Philadelphia, 
■with  uearly  three-fourths  of  the  population,  only  1,100. 


346  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Ill  the  same  period  also  almost  the  entire  railroad  system  of  the 
State  had  been  created,  and  a  daily  tribute  of  accidents  was  paid  for 
l)ublic  convenieuce  and  accommodation. 

The  system,  for  the  most  jiart,  was  controlled  in  Philadelphia  and 
centered  there;  and  the  position  of  the  University  at  the  focal  jwint 
seemed  the  fittinj^  location  to  care  for  the  victims  of  these  accidents. 
The  University  was  in  the  highest  sense  a  Stsite  organization.  From 
its  infancy  the  jjovernor  of  Pennsylvania  had  filled  the  office  of  presi- 
dent of  Board  of  Trustees,  and  it  has  always  been  free  from  ])rivate, 
local,  or  sectarian  bias.  Convince(l  by  these  and  like  considerations, 
the -legislature  determined  that  good  morals  and  public  policy  forbade 
th«i  State  to  be  benefited  by  taxes  levied  on  mines,  railways,  and  fac- 
tories, and  to  relegate  the*  care  of  their  victims  to  private  charity, 
alone  and  unaided. 

By  an  act  approved  April  ,'i,  1872,  the  State  granted  to  the  T'niver- 
sity  of  Pennsylvania  the  sum  of  $100,000  upon  condition  that  it  sliould 
raise  the  sum  of  $250,000  in  addition  tliereto;  the  entire  api)ropriation 
to  be  expended  in  the  erection  of  a  general  hospital  in  connection  with 
said  institution,  in  which  at  least  two  hundred  free  beds  for  i)ers(ms 
injured  should  be  forever  maintained. 

The  acceptance  of  this  ordinance  bound  the  University  to  receive  in- 
jured persons  whenever  pres(Mited  to  the  hospital  in  number  not  exceed- 
ing two  hundred. 

Jt  has  so  far  fulfilled  this  obligation  as  never  to  have  turned  away  a 
recent  accident  case,  and  has  constantly  and  strenuously  striven  that 
the  intent  of  the  legislature  shall  be  fulfilled  in  the  erection  of  a  hospi- 
tal of  two  iiundred  free  beds  fully  equipi)ed  and  endowed. 

The  sum  of  $250,000  having  been  raised,  the  State  accepted  this  as 
fulfilling  the  statute  and  paid  $100,000  on  November  16,  1872. 

Rellection  showed  the  immediate  site  of  the  University  to  be  wanting 
in  room  to  amply  furnish  with  spac^e,  air,  and  sunshine  a  general  State 
hosjjital  of  two  hundred  beds,  having  a  capacity  of  growth  to  five  hun- 
dred, as  need  might  demand. 

So  forcibly  were  the  benefits  of  such  a  hospital  to  the  city  urged  by 
the  chairman  of  the  Commission  that  the  city  of  Phildelphia,  by  ordi- 
nance passed  unanimously  by  both  chambers  of  cimncils  and  approved 
May  18,  1872,  granted  to  the  University  5^  acres  adjoining  its  site,  in 
trust,  to  erect  a  hospital  thereon  in  which  there  should  be  not  less 
than  fifty  free  beds  for  the  indigent  sick,  a  condition  which  the  Uni- 
versity has  been  glad  to  undertake  and  to  fulfill. 

This,  then,  had  been  accomplished — a  spacious  site  and  $350,000  for 
building  and  endowment.  This  was  much,  but  clearly  not  enough,  for  the 
building  alone  would  absorb  over  $200,000.  Mjtnifestly,  therefore,  the 
eHort  ought  to  be  carried  further  on  towards  perfection.  To  this  end 
the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  and  of  the  city  courts,  and  leading 
citizens  of  the  State  and  city,  petitioned  the  legislature  to  grant  a 
second  $100,000  provisionally  upon  $100,000  being  otherwise  given. 


THE   tJNIVERSltY   HOSPITAL.  347 

An  act  to  tliis  effect  was  passed  and  approved  April  0, 1873. 

It  was  now  thought  safe  to  begin  constinction.  By  the  authority  of 
the  trustees  of  the  University,  Dr.  "VYilliam  Pepper,  Dr.  E.  E.  Kogers, 
J.  Vaugh^ji  Merrick,  Jolm  Welsh,  Saunders  Lewis,  and  William  Sel- 
lers Avere  appointed  a  building  committee.  Dr.  repi)er  was  made  it** 
cliiiirman,  and  T.  W.  liichards  its  architect,  and  ground  was  broken  in 
May. 

The  plan  comprised  a  central  building,  88  feet  wide  and  130  feet  deep, 
holding  a  large  and  small  clinical  amphitheater,  kit(;hen,  oflices,  roiuns 
tbr  storage,  for  reception  of  i)atients,  for  servants,  for  offi(;ers,  for  direc- 
tors' meetings,  for  general  administration,  and  twelve  chambers  for 
resident  i)hysicians  and  ])rivate  paying  patients.  It  was  planned  to 
connect  this  building  by  a  spacious  and  handsome  corridor  with  jiavil- 
ions,  each  containing  six  wards,  having  proper  ward  kitcliens,  nurses 
chambers,  linen  and  splint  rooms,  bathrooms,  and  closets.  Three  of 
these  pavilions,  on  either  side  of  the  central  building,  the  whole  having 
a  frontage  of  680  feet  and  capacity  for  720  beds,  was  the  completed  hos- 
pital as  it  had  by  this  time  formed  itself  in  the  idea  of  its  projectors. 
The  structure  was  designed  to  be  three  stories  in  height,  in  University 
gothic,  harmonizing  with  the  surrounding  departments  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

The  means  in  hand  permittee!  the  convstniction  of  no  more  than  the 
central  building  and  west  ^ing,  thus  providing  for  140  beds. 

Subscriptions  continued  to  be  solicited  while  the  building  went  up. 
Before  it  was  finished  enougli  had  been  raised  to  secure  the  second 
$100,000  from  the  State. 

The  result  achieved  summed  up  thus :  Donated  by  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, a  site  of  5^  acres;  ai)propriated  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania, 
$200,000;  private  donations  in  sums  of  $5,000  or  multiples  thereof,  $200,- 
000;  private  donations  in  sums  smaller  than  $5,000,  $80,431;  donations 
for  a  medical  alumni  ward,  $11,5G0;  a  total  of  $552,042. 

When  completed,  the  hospital  was  inaugurated  by  ceremonies  in 
which  the  governor  of  the  State  took  part.  During  his  address  two 
tablets  were  placed  on  the  walls  bearing  the  following  inst^riptions: 

Inaugurated 
June  4,  1874, 
•  by 

Hi's  Excellency  Johu  F.  Hartranft, 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania. 

This  Hospital 

was  erected    _ 

through  the  liberality  of  the 

State  of  Peuusylvania, 

the 

City  of  Philadelphia, 

and 

Many  citizens. 

A  prayer  of  dedication  followed  this  address. 


348  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Hon.  William  A.  Wallace,  late  United  States  Senator  from  Penn- 
sylvania, then  delivered  the  inangcural  address,  replete  with  informa- 
tion and  beautiful  thonght. 

The  hospital  was  opened  for  patients  July  15,  1874. 

Nothing  about  its  history  is  quite  so  remarkable  as  the  bold  idea 
that  conceived  it,  and  the  energy  and  skill  which  made  the  idea  a 
reality.  In  a  good  cause  enthusiasm  avails  much.  In  the  cause  of  tjie 
hosintal  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  the  enthusiasm  of  its  young 
founders  prevailed  upon  men  of  all  parties  and  creeds,  upon  a  famous 
institution  of  learning,  upon  a  great  municipality  and  a  greater  State,  to 
place  their  meed  of  thought  and  wealth  and  wisdom  into  the  hand  of 
charity — guided  by  knowledge  and  science  toward  the  common  weal. 

It  detracts  not  from  their  accomplishment  that  personal  aspirations 
lent  force  to  their  efforts.  That  places  of  profit  and  distinction  have 
by  them  been  won  in  the  University  and  the  world  lessens  not  the  good 
they  have  effected,  diminishes  naught  of  the  comfort  and  happiness 
that  is  flowing  to  mankind  through  the  channels  they  have  formed. 

The  organization  of  the  government  of  the  hospital  was  comjjlex. 

The  ownership  of  its  property  and  funds  rested  in  the  trustees  of  the 
University,  by  whom  the  managers  of  the  hospital  were  to  be  elected 
from  their  own  number,  and  from  nominees  of  subordinate  bodies. 
The  subordinate  bodies  were  the  board  of  contributors,  chosen  by 
donors  of  $25  or  over,  the  medical  faculty,  and  the  medical  alumni  of 
the  University.- 

This  form  of  organization  was  decided  upon  as  representing  all  in- 
terests, the  ownership  of  the  property,  those  whose  money  had  formed 
it,  and  those  whose  knowledge  was  to  render  it  useful. 

The  Board  of  ]Vlanagers  was  comj)osed  of  five  trustees,  seven  of  the 
medical  fa(;jilty,  and  three  each  of  the  contributors  and  medical 
alumiu. 

Its  first  meeting  was  held  at  the  call  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Trustees 
of  the  University,  on  February  5,  1874. 

Dr.  George  B.  Wood  was  chosen  President,  Dr.  Alfred  Stills  Secre- 
tary, and  Saunders  Lewis,  Treasurer.  The  next  meeting  elected  Eli  K. 
Price  Vice-President. 

The  first  of  these  gentlemen,  at  the  age  of  CO,  had  resigned  the  chair 
of  the  theory  and  practice  of  medicine,  and  retired,  from  active  life, 
having,  by  his  writing  and  teaching,  made  himself  the  leader  of  medi- 
cal art  and  science  in  America.  The  preparation  of  the  Pharmacopoeia 
of  the  United  States  for  many  years  rested  chiefly  upon  him.  His 
United  States  Dispensatory  (of  which  Dr.  Bache  was  joint  author,  and  of 
which  over  225,000  copies  have  been  sold)  was  a  work  so  highly  valued 
that  during  the  rebellion  it  was  declared  contraband  of  war,  so  bene- 
ficial did  the  United  States  deem  its  use  to  the  armies  of  its  enemies. 
Dr.  Stills,  in  1874,  was  filling  the  chair  of  the  theory  and  practice  of 
medicine.    Mr.  Lewis  was  an  influential  and  wealthy  man  of  business, 


THE   UNIVERSITY   HOSPITAL.  349 

whose  family  had  honored  the  old  Pennsylvania  Hospital  by  holding 
its  tieasurership  since  1780.  Mr.  Price,  Avitli  one  exception,  was  the 
oldest  member  of  the  Philadelphia  bar,  was  known  as  the  author  of  the 
consolidation  act,  and  of  the  Price  act,  by  the  latter  of  which  chari- 
table legacies  were  rendered  void  in  Pennsylvania  if  made  within  thirty 
days  of  death  of  testator. 

Yet  upon  the  young  men  of  the  board  rather  than  on  the  veterans 
was  to  fall  the  oversight  of  the  administration  of  the  hospital.  For 
twelve  years  this  was  conducted  by  resident  male  superintendents  in 
the  method,  the  best  then  prevalent,  of  hiring  nurses  in  numbers  vary- 
ing with  those  of  the  patients;  dismissing  and  taking  them  on  as  econ- 
omy or  necessity  required,  always  seeking  the  best,  but  not  always  find- 
ing the  best  in  the  market  when  wanted. 

By  this  method,  coupled  with  moderate  salaries  to  officers,  the  per 
diem  expense  was  kept  at  a  low  average. 

In  1875,  its  first  calendar  year,  its  wards  received  042  patients,  and 
its  7  dispensaries  treated  4,569  cases. 

The  medical  corps  of  the  hospital  was  in  three  classes :  Medical  staff/ 
resideuts,  and  dispensary  staff. 

The  medical  staff  were  12  in  number,  3  being  professors  of  the  med- 
ical faculty  of  the  University,  and  9  clinical  professors  and  lecturers 
attached  to  the  hospital,  whose  duties  did  not  extend  to  the'  medical 
school.  The  residents  were  2,  selected  semiannually  from  the  medical 
alumni  of  the  University,  in  a  competitive  examination  by  the  medical 
staff,  for  a  service  of  six  months.  Each  dispensary  was  under  charge  of 
a  chief.    Other  doctors  assisted  in  them. 

The  entire  corps  worked  without  pay,  valuing  indirect  advantages. 
The  corps  contained  every  grade  of  medical  experience,  the  young 
alumnus  with  life  before  him,  intent  ui)on  duty,  so  that  life  might  be  a 
success,  a  dispensary  assistant  and  its  chief,  the  clinical  lecturer,  the 
clinical  professor,  who  devoted  himself  to  the  hospital  freely  for  the 
benefit  of  the  medical  school,  and  the  great  names  of  the  medical  fac- 
ulty, who  upheld  the  hospital  that  it  might  uphold  the  school. 

Dr.  D.  Hayes  Agnew  was  the  member  of  the  corps  then  most  widely 
known,  perhaps,  throughout  the  United  States.  He  afterwards  gained, 
as  one  of  the  surgeons  attending  the  deathbed  of  President  Garfield, 
a  national  reputation,  not  only  in  a  professional  but  also  in  a  popular 
sense. 

The  building  and  operating  of  the  hospital  having  been  so  far  success- 
ful, an  appeal  was  made  to  the  legislature  in  1874  to  carry  out  the 
original  design  by  appropriating  $125,000  to  build  the  east  wing,  con- 
ditionally upon  $100,000  being  raised  to  endow  it. 

By  this  time,  however,  other  hospitals  were  in  the  field  with  similar 
intent.  One  of  these  diverted  the  appropriation,  and  for  seventeen 
years  the  University  hospital  asked  no  aid  from  the  State. 

In  1875  it  tried  to  create  a  ward  for  incurables.    Its  annual  report 


350  THE   UXIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

for  that  year  contained  an  appeal  for  this  purpose,  which  was  repeated 
in  1876,  1877,  and  1878,  meeting  small  response.  But,  bent  upon  so 
good  a  purpose,  the  board  delinitely  resolved,  on  August  12,  1879,  to 
open  such  a  ward  so  soon  as  $100,000  were  subscribed  for  endowment,  and 
that  the  sad  sound  of  "incurable"  might  be  removed  from  the  ears  of 
its  inmates,  the  board  thought  the  name  to  be  given  should  be  '*  The 
Ward  for  Chronic  Diseases."  By  the  end  of  the  year  $42,000  had  been 
contributed.  That  the  Brompton  Hospital  for  such  diseases  was  one  of 
the  best  endowed  in  England,  and  that  in  America  20  per  cent  "of  the 
entire  adult  population  perishes  from  these  affections,"  were  thought 
strong  reasons  to  hope  the  endowment  would  be  quickly  completed. 
The  effort,  however,  did  not  ripen  at  once,  but  bore  good  fruit  later  on. 

Early  in  1875  the  trustees  authorized  the  Board  of  Managers  to  invite 
a  committee  of  ladies  to  aitl  "  in  the  discharge  of  household  duties,  and 
to  administer  such  comfort  to  the  patients  as  their  thoughtful  care 
might  suggest.  Fifteen  (than  whom  no  others  in  Philadelphia  were 
better  qualified)  were  chosen  among  women  given  to  good  works,  mis- 
tresses of  large  establishments,  relatives  of  benefactors  or  of  managers 
of  the  hospital.  With  the  instinct  of  true  women  they  declined  to  assume 
.that  title  ofticially,  and  denominated  themselves  the  Board  of  Women 
Visitors.  It  was  the  duty  of  these  women  to  visit  the  kitchen,  laundry, 
storerooms,  wards,  library,  etc.,  and  to  call  attention  of  officers  and 
managers  to  defects  in  order,  in  niceties,  cleanliness,  and  in  refinements 
of  polish. 

It  l^ecame  their  delight  to  provide  the  means  to  remedy  deficiencies. 
Tliey  established  a  yearly  Donation  Day,  on  which,  as  well  as  through- 
out the  year,  they  solicited  gifts  in  kind  and  in  money.  Their  efforts 
as  a  board  yielded  for  several  years  an  average  of  about  $1,500,  which 
in  part  was  devoted  to  betterment  of  the  fixtures  and  apartments  under 
their  care,  to  uniforming  the  female  nurses,  to  paying  the  salary  of  a 
liead  nurse,  and  to  other  such  like  things  as  from  time  to  time  seemed 
to  them  most  imperative. 

More  than  once  or  twice  some  large  matter,  to  which  the  finances  of 
the  Hospital  could  not  reach,  has  been  provided  by  the  private  purse 
of  one  or  other  of  them. 

Tiiis  board  increased  until  it  numbered  2i ;  by  the  addition  per  chance 
of  some  prominent  woman,  the  wife  of  a  Chief  Justice,  or  of  an  ex-cabinet 
officer,  or  possibly  of  some  serious  woman,  who  would  do  religious 
service  among  the  patients  or  nurses;  and,  in  1889,  in  order  that  its 
ideas  might  readily  influence  the  government  of  the  hospital  without 
any  semblance  of  a  dual  authority,  it  was  given  three  representatives 
on  the  I>oard  of  INIunagers. 

Thus  equipped  with  men,  women,  and  material,  the  hospital  passed 
its  five  initial  calendar  years,  caring  annually  for  an  average  of  ()48.4 
patients,  treating  5,034  dispensary  cases,  its  average  death  rate  being 
7.648  per  cent  of  jjatients  treated,  and  its  per  diem  $1.29. 


THE   UNIVERSITY   HOSPITAL.  351 

There  was  a  kindly  feeling  ruuniug  tliiough  it,  in  a  degree  even  a 
so(;ial  one. 

Its  board  met  in  evening  hours  at  the  home  of  its  president,  or,  as  he 
fell  into  feeble  health,  of  its  vi(;e-pre8ident. 

On  March  30,  1879,  its  president,  Dr.  Geo.  B.  Wood,  died,  aged  82 
years. 

Among  the  resolutions  to  his  memory,  prepared  by  his  friend  Eli  K. 
Price,  and  published  in  the  Annual  Report  of  1879,  there  is  the  expres- 
sion : 

Let  U8  be  thankful  to  tho  Creator  for  giviug  us  and  tlieM'oi'M  a  citizen  and  scientist 
of  knowledge  so  ample,  of  humanity  so  unbounded,  of  love  to  man  and  God  so  per- 
fect.    Thank  God  that  all  his  long  life  was  so  useful,  honorable,  and  happy.     , 

The  hospital  received  from  Dr.  Wood's  estate  $60,000,  and  appropri- 
ated it,  as  directed  by  his  will,  to  endowing,  in  memory  of  his  father-in- 
lav,  the  Peter  Hahn  Ward. 

Eli  K.  Price  succeeded  Dr.  Wood,  and  wat€hed  '^  with  i)aternal  vigi- 
lance over  the  interests  of  the  hospital." 

In  1882  an  important  movement  was  started  by  Dr.  Pepper  for  the 
establishment  of  a  department  for  patients  suffering  with  chronic  dis- 
eases, especially  of  the  heart  and  lungs.  The  claims  of  this  unfortu- 
nate and  numerous  class  of  sufferers  will  always  appeal  with  special 
force  to  the  humane.  Endowment  for  seventeen  free  beds  ($5,000  each) 
was  secured,  and  then  the  interest  of  the  late  Henry  (J.Gibson  was  so 
fully  enlisted  that  he  undertook  to  construct  an  additional  wing  of  the 
hospital  especially  for  these  chronic  cases.  The  plans  were  prepared 
by  Mr.  Hewitt  in  consultation  with  Dr.  Billings,  and  the  building  was 
constructed  at  a  cost  of  $85,000.  It  is  the  most  important  addition  to 
its  building  the  hospital  has  yet  received.  At  its  formal  opening  in 
1883,  the  name  of  the  Gibson  Wing  for  Chronic  Diseases  was  given  to 
it,  as  a  fitting  tribute  to  this  generous  and  public-spirited  citizen  whose 
benefactions  to  all  departments  of  the  University  were  so  numerous  and 
liberal. 

This  ample  structure  gave  space  for  remodeling  the  dispensaries. 
These  had  grown  in  number  from  7  to  11,  and  nearly  doubled  their 
service.  At  this  time  also  the  medical  staff  was  increj^sed  by  the  apiwint- 
mentof  11  assistants  in  various  branches  of  medicine  and  surgery;  and 
a  third  resident  was  appointed. 

On  March  3,  1883,  Henry  Seybert  died  and  bequeathed  to  the  Hos- 
pital the 'sum  of  $60,000,  "the  income  whereof  shall  be  devoted  to  the 
maintenance  of  a  ward  in  connection  with  the  department  of  chronic 
diseases,  isaid  ward  to  be  named  and  designated  as  my  friend,  Dr. 
William  Pepper,  shall  desire  it."  In  accordance  with  this,  the  ward 
has  received  the  name  of  its  generous  founder. 

This  interesting  department  of  the  University  Hospital,  therefore, 
is  well  started,  and  important  testamentary  disposition  in  its  favor  has 
also  been  made  public,  though  not  yet  oj)erative. 


352  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  president  of  the  Hospital,  Eli  K.  Price,  died  November  15, 1884, 
at  the  age  of  87,  fiill  of  years  and  ln)Uors.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  incumbent — the  writer  of  this  history. 

In  the  seven  years  from  1880  to  1880  the  average  yearly  figures  of 
the  hospital  were  1,129  patieuts,  7,3<)0  dispensary  cases,  a  death  rate  of 
8,027  per  cent,  and  a  i)er  diem  of  $1.05. 

Although  these  figures  seemed  gratifying,  the  example  of  u  neigh- 
boiing  institution,  which  had  introduced  the  P^nglish  system  of  hospital 
.administration,  inidincd  a  large  majority  of  the  managers  to  believe  the 
conditions  of  the  hospital  of  the  University  would  be  improved  by 
ceasing  to  hire  and  discharge  nurses  with  the  influx  and  efflux  of 
patients,  and  by  maintaining  within^  itself  a  corps  of  women  in  train- 
ing for  nurses  ujuler  a  directress  of  nurses  and  a  superintendent  of  the 
hospital,  both  of  them  being  ladies  skilled  in  nursing. 

As  the  demand  for  trained  nurses  was  greater  than  the  supply,  and 
their  wages  large,  it  was  believed  that  women  capable  of  becoming 
thorough  nurses  Avould  serve  the  hospital  for  two  years  for  little  or  no 
pay  beyond  their  education  and  maintenance.  It  was  sui)posed  also, 
that  saving  the  salaries  i)aid  hired  nurses  would  make  this  arrangement 
economical. 

A  member  of  the  board  of  women  visitois,  aided  by  a  few  near  rela- 
tives, offering  to  erect  in  memory  of  their  mother,  on  the  hospital 
grounds  a  building  especially  adai)ted  for  the  Nurses'  Home,  it  was  de- 
cided to  accept  the  offer  and  to  change  the  administration  of  the  hos- 
pital by  placing  it  under  the  superintendency  of  a  woman,  and  by  found- 
ing a  university  training  school  of  nurses  under  the  instruction  of  a 
directress  of  nurses,  and  of  lectures  given  by  the  medical  staff. 

After  wide  advertising  aiul  prolonged  correspondence,  an  Engli.sh 
lady  was  chosen  superintendent  and  entered  upon  duty  Sei)tember,  1880. 

The  home  and  school  are  adapted  to  forty-five  learners.  These,  after 
examination,  are  admitted  on  probation  for  three  months,  and,  if  satis- 
factory, serve  for  two  years. 

The  opening  in  October,  1888,  of  a  small  maternity  ward  was  an 
event  which  ])romises  to  be  of  nuicli  importance  to  the  teaching  of  the 
hosi)ital.  It  is  de^signed  that  it  shall  give  to  every  student  of  the 
medical  school  a  practical  lesson  in  the  art  of  delivery. 

The  money  for  its  erection  and  i)artial  endowment  was  gathered  from 
among  his  friends  by  a  newly  elected  professor  of  obstetrics,  a  fact 
which  illustrates  how  the  forward  steps  of  the  hospital  have  been  often 
made. 

In  the  following  year  a  long  ward  was  divided  into  fourteen  rooms 
for  private  patients.  The  cost  of  this  change  was  advanced  by  a  mem- 
ber of  the  medical  staff'.  This  kind  act  increased  the  number  of  such 
rooms  to  twenty-five,  and  much  benefited  the  revenue  of  the  hosi)ital. 

Isaiah  V.  Williamson  died  March  14,  1889,  A  ward  has  been  dedi- 
cated to  his  memory. 


THE    UNIVERSITY    HOSPITAL.  353 

Dr.  D.  Hayes  Agnew,  in  April  of  the  same  year,  resigned  the  chair 
of  clinical  surgery,  and  was  made  honorary  professor  of  the  same 
chair. 

A  mortuary  building  was  erected  later  in  the  year  at  a  cost  of  over 
-$11,000,  procured  by  the  exertions  of  a  member  of  the  board  of  lady 
visitors. 

It  contains  compartments  for  the  preservation  of  twelve  corpses  in 
ice,  a  table  constructed  under  special  patents  for  i^ost-mortems,  a  TO(ytn 
for  a  i^athological  laboratory  and  museum,  and  a  small  mortuary 
chapel. 

The  outcome  of  the  change  of  administration  inaugurated  in  1886  was 
"a  most  marked,  improvement  in  the  conduct  of  the  hosi)ital." 

But  the  support  of  a  training  school,  however  more  efficient  it 
might  be  than  former  methods  as  a  system  of  nursing,  increased  ex- 
penses and  made  a  higher  per  diem.  This  was  due  in  part  to  the  im- 
proved nursing,  which  filled  the  private  rooms  with  costly  jjatients,  in 
part  to  the  increased  number  of  nurses,  and  in  i^art  to  maintenance  of 
nurses  being  continuous,  even  when  the  sick  in  the  hospital  were  but 
few.  , 

When  confiding  the  charge  of  the  hospital  to  a  woman,  the  board 
had  appointed  three  of  its  number  an  advisory  committee,  to  be  con- 
sulted by  her,  and  had  deprived  her  of  the  power  to  suspend  residents 
from  duty,  a  power  which,  though  never  exercised,  had  rested  in  male 
superintendents. 

It  may  therefore  be  said  to  have  assented  to  the  value  of  female  gov- 
ernment in  a  slightly  modified  sense,  i.  e.,  when  tempered  by  male  in- 
fluence. 

The  work  o£  this  hospital  is  very  varied  and  complex.  It  comprises 
the  care  of  wsick  in  dispensaries,  in  wards,  or  as  patients  in  private 
rooms  with  costly  attendants.  It  embraces  the  daily  teaching  of  stu- 
dents in  great  clinics,  attended  by  400  or  500,  in  small  class  rooms,  and 
in  little  squads  by  the  be<lside.  It  is  concerned  with  the  instruction  of 
nurses,  the  records  of  registrars,  the  compoun<ling  of  drugs,  with  au- 
topsies and  much  experimentation.  It  has  respect  to  the  coming  and 
going  of  ambulances,  of  anxious  or  of  sorrowing  friends,  of  the  Bible 
reader,  the  minister,  the  priest,  and  tlie  coroner.  All  this  complexity 
of  the  business  of  healing  or  of  death  is  conducted  in  the  midst  of  the 
affairs  of  a  great  housekeeping,  amid  the  delivery  of  coal,  of  ice,  or  of 
food,  amid  the  oversight  of  the  cook,  the  scullion,  the  washerwoman, 
and  the  fireman. 

When,  then,  in  its  report  for  1889,  the  board  noted  "a  most  marked 
improvement  in  the  conduct  of  the  hospital,"  it  accorded  great  praise 
to  the  administration  which  had  brought  this  about. 

That  year  was  the  most  peopled  with  sick  the  hosi)ital  has  ever  seen, 
its  inpatients  numbering  1,132,  over  20  per  cent  more  than  before  or 
since. 

1180 23 


354  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    TENNSYLVANIA. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  the  growth  and  (Uivelopnieiit  of  the 
hospital,  coupled  with  some  strain  that  jcrowth  was  beginning  to  throw 
on  its  finances,  showed  the  duties  of  its  administration  to  be  increas- 
ingly diihcult,  and  inclined  the  board  to  emjihasize  the  value  of  the 
male  quality  in  the  control  of  an  organization  so  complicated  and  so 
active.  Becoming  aware  that  Br.  John  S.  Billings,  of  the  U.  S.  Arm}-, 
a  gentleman  of  distinction,  and  especially  qualified  by  ability  and 
experience,  both  in  military  and  civic  hospitals,  was  available,  they 
elected  him  on  December  12, 1889,  director  of  the  hospital  and  ex-offieio 
member  of  its  board. 

This  appointment  was  not  intended  to  abolish,  but  to  strengthen  the 
existing  administration.  Thedirector's  duties  were  tobe^oordinate  with 
others  due  by  him  to  the  University's  Department  of  Hygiene.  His 
residence  was  not  to  be  in  the  hospital.  He  became,  as  it  were,  an 
advisory  committee,  with  power. 

His  first  act  was  to  adjust  expenses  to  income,  causing  a  smaller  roll  of 
patients  and  a  higher  per  diem,  pending  the  reorganization  of  finances. 
Upon  his  report  as  an  expert  that  certain  renovations  and  betterments 
were  necessary  to  bring  the  physical  condition  of  tlie  hospital  up  to 
modern  standards,  the  members  of  the  board  determined  to  solicit 
$50,000  from  the  charitable,  $30,000  being  for  renovations,  and  $L'0,000 
for  arrears  of  debt.    The  major  part  was  gathered  in  a  few  weeks. 

A  legacy  of  $80,000  fell  to  the  hospital  by  the  death  of  George  S. 
Pepper,  on  May  2,  1890,  and  made  it  possible  to  dedicate  a  fourth  ward 
to  the  memory  of  a  great  benefactor  and  to  disembarrass  finances  from 
current  debt. 

Believing  the^tate  would  not  again  refiise  its  aid  to  the  child  which 
it  hatl  created,  an  application  for  an  .appropriation  based  on  the  api)roval 
of  the  Board  of  Public  Charities  was  made  to  the  legislature  of  1890-'91. 
By  an  act  signed  by  Governor  Robert  E.  Pattison,  June  IG,  1891,  a  grant 
of  $20,000  was  obtainedfor  betterments,  and  of  $15,000  for  maintenance 
of  indigent  patients  at  $1  per  day  during  1891  and  1892. 

It  is  not  probable  that  the  State  will  ever  refuse  to  repeat  this  grant. 
And  conditions  may  therefore  be  noAv  supposed  to  have  arisen  which 
will  render  normal  the  relation  between  the  plant  of  the  hospital  and 
its  income  and  reduce  the  per  diem  to  the  sum  expected  nnder  natural 
conditions. 

Brief  allusion  must  be  made  to  the  very  interesting  establishment 
of  the  cliildren's  ward  in  1891,  which  was  due  to  the  zeal  and  efforts  of 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  De  Forrest  Willard  and  a  number  of  their  friends. 

A  summary  of  the  history  of  the  hospital,  and  jierhaps  a  reasonable 
forecast  of  its  future,  can  be  made  in  a  few  sentences.  Since  its  inaugu- 
ration 15,000  patients  (of  whom  11,000  have  been  free)  have  been  cared  for 
in  its  beds,  and  112,500  in  its  dispensaries.  The  average  residence  of  its 
patients  has  been  29.259  days;  its  average  death  rate,  7.626  per  cent  of 
patients  treated;  its  average  per  diem,  $1.26. 


THE    UNIVERSITY    HOSPITAL.  355 

III  the  first  five  years  of  its  existeiu'c,  tlio  formative  period  of  it«s 
affairs,  its  average  death  rate  was7.64S  percent  and  its  per  diem  $1.00, 

In  its  secoiul  period,  the  seven  years  in  which  it  had  l)econie  fairly 
sotthMl  to  w(»rk  a('cordin<;'  to  okl  methods,  its  dcathrate  was  8.027  i)er 
cent  and  its  per4ieni  $1.05. 

In  the  snceeeding"  four  years  in  which  it  has  been  iidjustinj;  itself  to 
new  methods  its  death  rate  has  been  reduced  to  6.897  per  cent  and  its 
]K'r  diem  has  been  $1.57.  _ 

When  enabled  by  its  increased  income  to  augment  the  number  of  its 
l)atients,  its  per  diem  will  i)robably  stand  at  about  $1.35. 

Tlie  difference  between  this  and  the  per  diem  of  former  periods  will 
be  offset  by  profits  from  its  increase  of  private  rooms,  or,  if  any  diff*er- 
ence  remain,  it  will  be  the  j^rice  paid  for  decreased  mortality  and  the 
benefit  the  public  gains  from  having*  highly  trained  nurses  at  command. 

It  has  a  site  and  buildings  estimated  to  be  worth  $450,000,  and  en- 
dowment funds  amounting  to  $616,277.77.  Total  (property  and  en- 
dowment), $1,066,277.77. 

Four  of  its  wards  are  endowed  by  legacies,  and  sixty-five  free  beds 
in  addition  have  been  endowed. 

Its  medical  corps  is  constituted  as  follows:  Resident  physicians,  each 
serving  eighteen  mont4is,  6;  dispensary  staff",  serving  eleven  dispensa- 
ries, 36;  assistant  surgeons,  2;  assistant  i)hysicians,  4;  other  assist- 
ants, 4;  the  medical  staff,  13;  total,  65.  Of  which  there  hold  duplicate 
positions  2,  making  a  total  corps  63. 

Its  clinics  and  wards  are  daily  frequented  by  the  800  students  of  the 
medical  school  of  the  University;  lectures  and  lessons  from  the  living 
subject  are  given  to  these  students  for  twenty  hours  per  week  during 
their  school  term. 

Not  far  from  3,000  students  have  already  gained  from  these  instruc- 
tions the  practical  knowledge  they  have  taken  into  professional  life. 

That  the  hospital  is  not  alone  an  infirmary,  but  also  a  school,  aug- 
ments the  expectation  its  i)atients  have  of  recovery  because  of  the  close 
scrntiny  teachers  must  give  to  diseases  in  order  to  describe  them. 

Its  board  of  managers  consists  of  26  women  and  men,  and  the  board 
of  women  visitors  of  24  women,  4  of  the  latter  being  included  in  the 
former. 

These  persons,  together  with  the  medical  corps,  make  a  total  of  113 
care-takers  of  this  hospital.  These  move  together  in  that  harmony  and 
mutu^  respect  by  which  alone  the  great  results  they  have  accomplished 
could  have  been  achieved. 


Chapter  XV. 
THE  VETERINARY  DEPARTMENT. 


Prof.  Rush  Shippen  Huidekoper,  in  his  introductory  address  at  the 
opening  of  the  Veterinary  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  October,  1884,  says:  "Our  Veterinary  Department  has  been 
contemplated  for  some  time,  and  was  rendered  practicable  through  the 
acquisition  by  the  University  of  this  piece  of  land  from  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  and  the  liberality  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Lippincott  and  jNIr.  Joseph 
E.  Gillingham,  who  have  furnished  the  means  for  these  substantial 
buildings  and  outfit.  Unfortunately  a  veterinary  school  can  not  be 
ordered  and  completed  like  a  primary  schoolhouse,  and  we  have  but 
the  corner  stone  of  what  I  believe  will  be  a  gieat  ijistitution." 

In  the  same  address  the  professor  speaks  of  the  suggestions  in  1806 
of  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  of  the  University,  as  to  the  importance  of  add- 
ing a  Veterinary  Department  to  the  institution.  He  then  gives  masses 
of  figures,  both  as  to  numbers  of  domestic  animals  in  the  United  States 
and  as  to  their  money  value,  running  up  into  the  hundreds  of  millions, 
and  which  since  that  time  have  increased  to  many  more  millions.  The 
effects  of  disease,  especially  of  epidemics,  upon  these  numbers  and  these 
values  are  forcibly  pictured,  so  that  no  thinking  person  can  doubt  the 
importance  of  intelligent  veterinary  instruction  and  its  good  influence 
upon  the  humanity,  the  health,  and  the  wealth  of  communities. 

The  i)rog!ess  of  the  Veterinary  Department  towards  becoming  a 
"great  institution"  has  been  as  follows: 

Under  date  of  November  14,  1882,  Mr.  J.  B.  Lippincott  writ-es: 

Mr.  Wharton  Barker,  Esq., 

Treasurer : 
Dear  Sir:  I  herewith  inclose  10  of  tlie  first-mortgage  bonds,  series  A,  of  $1,000 
each,  of  the  .Simhiiry,  AVilkesbarre  and  Hazelton  Railroad.  These  bonds  are  intended 
as  a  contribution  to  an  endowment  fund  for  the  purpose  of  estsiblishing  a  Veterinary 
Department  under  the  control  of  tlie  University  of  Pennsylvania.  Until  the  said 
department  is  established,  the  income  of  the  said  bonds  is  to  be  disposed  of  according 
to  the  best  judgment  of  the  trustees  of  the  University,  and  always  having  in  view 
the  object  of  the  contribution. 
Very  respectfully, 

J.  B.  Lippincott. 

A  special  committee  on  organization  was  appointed,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Lippincott,  Eli  K.  Price,  and  Fairman  Rogers.     This  committee 
reported  December  6,  1882,  recommending  further  subscriptions  and 
356 


the"  veterinary  department.  357 

giving  outlines  of  plan,  and  requesting  an  appropriation  of  land.  The 
subscriptions  were  authorized  and  the  land  dedicated. 

On  February  ],  1883,  Mr.  J.  E.  Gillingham  sent  a  check  for  $10,000, 
and  March  6,  1883,  the  chair  of  veterinary  anatomy  and  pathology  was 
created.  Dr.  Huidekoper  was  nominated  for  the  position,  and  on  Aijril 
3,  1883,  he  was  elected  to  fill  the  place.  Pending  the  construction  of 
the  buildings  and  further  organization,  he  visited  Europe  in  order  to 
observe  and  to  profit  from  any  improvements  in  the  teachings  of  vet- 
erinary science  in  the  old  country. 

On  May  1,  1883,  the  committee  presented  plans  of  buildings,  which 
were  approved  and  construction  ordered;  and 

On  June  5,  1883,  a  contract  was  approved  for  the  construction  of  the 
main  buildings,  at  a  cost  of  $16,905. 

On  December  3, 1883,  the  committee  on  the  Department  of  Medicine 
reported  a  plan  of  organization,  and  reconmiended  that  the  chairs  be 
filled  as  follows:  Chemistry  and  medical  chemistry,  Prof.  Theodore  A. 
Wormley;  materia  medica  and  therapeutics.  Prof.  Horatio  C.  Wood; 
physiology,  I*rof.  Harrison  Allen;  comi)arative  pliysiology,  Prof.  R.  M. 
Smith;  morbid  anatomy  and  general  pathology,  Prof.  James  Tyson; 
botany,  Prof.  Jos.  T.  Itothrockj  zoologj-  and  parasites,  Prof.  A.  J.  Par- 
ker; veterinary  anatomy,  internal  pathology,  contagious  diseases,  and 
sanitary  police.  Prof.  R.  S.  Huidekoper. 

A  permanent  standing  committee  on  the  Veterinary  Department  was 
authorized,  and  Messrs.  Lipj)incott,  Price,  Rogers,  Dr.  Mitchell,  and 
Dr.  Hutchinson  were  appointed. 

In  December  Mr.  Lii)pincott  offered  another  $10,000,  provided  $15,000 
should  be  raised  by  subscrii^tion.  This  sum  Mr.  Lipi^iucott  generously 
gave  a  few  months  later  apart  from  the  condition,  thus  making  his 
entire  contribution  to  the  school  $20,000. 

On  October  2,  1884,  the  department  was  formally  opened,  20 
students  having  been  enrolled,  with  an  inaugural  ad<lress  by  Dr.  Hui- 
dekoper, from  which  quotations  are  made  in  the  beginning  of  this 
article.  A  few  weeks  after,  W.  Horace  Hoskins,  V.  S.,  was  appointed 
demonstrator  of  veterinary  anatomy,  amtl  Alexander  Glass,  V.  s.,  demon- 
strator of  veterinary  i)harma(;y. 

In  1884  the  erection  of  stables  to  be  used  as  a  hospital  was  undertaken. 

Plans  were  approved  of  structures  to  extend  210  feet  on  Pine  street, 
3C  feet  wide,  with  a  10-foot  piazza,  at  a  cost  of  $10,000.  Dr.  William  L. 
Znill  was  elected  professor  of  surgical  pathology,  and  Dr.  William  Hunt 
a  member  of  the  veterinary  committee  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

On  January  5,  1880,  Mr.  J.  B.  Lippincott  died,  a  loss  to  the  school 
memoralized  in  Jfitting  resolutions  by  the  trustees.  Since  then  his 
children  have  generously  sustained  the  department,  and  have  given  an- 
nually at  least  $4,000  for  its  support. 

In  1887  the  veterinary  faculty  was  jiuthorized  to  apply  to  the  legisla- 
ture for  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  for  its  hospital,  half  of  which  was 
secured. 


358  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

TTie  appropriation  by  tbe  State  legislature  of  $25,000  for  the  hospital 
of  the  veterinary  department  was  conditioned  upon  the  establishing  of 
12  free  scholarships,  to  be  held  by  students  nominated  by  the  governor 
of  the  Common wealtli.  There  are  also  3  city  prize  scholarships,  to 
which  appointments  are  made  by  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia. 

On  June  8,  1887,  th6  first  veterinary  class  graduated,  numbering  10. 

On  June  6, 1888,  the  second  veterinary  class  graduated,  numbering  14. 

June  5,  1889,  third  veterinary  class  graduated;  number,  7. 

On  September  24,  1889,  a  board  of  managers  of  the  hospital  was  ap- 
pointed, consisting  of  five  trustees,  five  citizens,  and  two  members  of 
the  faculty;  two  more  citizens  were  added  in  1890. 

In  October,  1889,  Dr.  IJuidekoper  resigned  his  professorship  and  sev- 
ered his  connection  with  the  school,  which  so  largely  owed  its  organiza- 
tion to  his  zeal  and  labors.  The  titles  of  several  chairs  were  changed; 
that  of  Internal  Pathology  and  Zootechnics  to  the  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Veterinary  Medicine;  that  of  Veterinary  Anatomy  to  Veterinary 
Anatomy  and  Zootechnics.  Dr.  John  Marshall,  assistant  professor  of 
chemistry  in  the  medical  department,  whose  marked  executive  ability 
in  the  managemeiit  of  its  chemical  laboratories  indicated  his  fitness 
for  the  position,  was  made  dean  of  the  faculty. 

In  1890  Charles  Williams,  v.  m.  d  ,  was  elected  lecturer  on  pra<!tice 
of  veterinary  medicine. 

June  5, 1890,  the  fourth  class  gi'aduated,  numbering  24. 

This  record  of  the  progress  of  the  Veterinary  Department  from  its 
beginning  up  to  the  present  time  shows,  we  think,  an  interest  and 
energy  which  assure  its  becoming  a  ''  great  institution." 

The  list  of  require*!  studies  in  this  dejJartment  looks  formidable, 
but  a  close  inspection  of  it  will  show  that  there  is  not  an  ornamentar 
branch  of  knowledge  mentioned  in  it,  nor  one  that  is  not  indispens- 
able to  the  education  of  one  who  aspires  to  become  a  thoroughly  trained 
veterinarian  both  in  theory  and  in  i)rjictice.  What  a  contrast  it  sug- 
gests to  former  opportunities  and  to  those  who  from  want  of  education 
and  training  pra(;ticed  oidy  crijde  and  i)urely  empirical  methods. 

The  veterinarian  in  this  country  has  not  yet  been  granted  the  posi- 
tion to  which  he  is  entitled.  He  deserves  rank  in  the  army,  for  his 
office  is  of  the  first  importance  to  the  successful  movement  of  battalions 
and  squadrons.  In  civil  life  he  should  have  to  do  not  only  with  the 
treatment  of  individual  cases  but  with  the  epidemics  and  their  causes, 
and  with  the  inspection  of  animals  living  and  dead,  and  of  all  foods 
derived  from  them.  He  sliould  have  summary  power  to  stam})  out  con- 
tagious disease  due  to  animal  or  vegetable  parasites,  or  due  to  other 
causes,  for  in  doing  tiiis  there  is  no  estimate  of  the  saving  of  human  life 
that  may  be  accomplished.  The  writer  has  no  doubt  that  most  if  not  all 
of  the  outbreaks  of  mysterious  human  disease  which  suddenly  invade 
parts  of  all  countries  with  great  fatality  have  their  origin  in  some  form 


TJfE    VETERINARY    DEPARTMENT.  359 

of  organic  poisoning,  animal  Or  vegetable,  taken  into  the  system  as  food 
or  drink.  Educate  observers,  and  tbe  remedies,  heroic  or  simple,  may 
be  applied. 

A  great  advance  was  made  in  the  efficiency  of  the  Veterinary  Depart- 
ment when  its  hospital  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  a  board  of 
managers,  all  gentlemen  who  have  great  interest  in  the  work,  who 
meet  monthly ,  and  who  take  both  great  and  small  things  under  their  notice. 

Tiie  gentlemen  who  constitute  this  board  are:  Joseph  E.  (iillingham, 
president;  J.  Bertram  Lippincott,  secretary  and  treasurer j  S.  Weir 
Mitchell,  M.  D.,  Eichard  Wood,  William  Hunt,  m.  d.,  John  O.  Sims, 
11.  Pratt  McKean,  jr.,  John  Marshall,  m.  d.,  Archibald  Montgomery, 
Walter  R.  Furness,  Charlemagne  Tower,  jr.,  William  L.  Zuill,  m.  d., 
D.  V.  s.,  Arthur  V.  Meigs,  m.  d. 

They  second  all  reasonable  efforts  of  the  hospital  staff'  and  make  the 
appropriations  for  it. 

The  hospital  of  the  Veterinary  Department  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania is  supplied  with  every  possible  facility  for  the  best  handling 
and  care  of  sick  and  injured  animals  of  all  kinds. 

An  ambulance  is  provided  for  the  conveyance  of  sick  and  lame  horses. 
For  this  service  the  charges  arc  made  according  to  distance  traveled. 

Animals  are  admitted  into  the  hospital  at  any  time,  day  or  night. 

A  free  dispensary  clinic  is  conducted  by  the  members  of  the  hos- 
pital staff' daily,  except  Sunday,  between  8  and  10  a.  m. 

The  animals  are  under  the  professional  care  of  the  hospital  staff"  of 
veterinarians  and  of  the  house  surgeon,  who  resides  in  the  hospital. 

A  competent  farrier  is  attached  to  the  hospital,  who  does  a  limited 
amount  of  ordinary  shoeing  in  addition  to  shoeing  for  lameness ;  the 
latter  only  under  the  direction  of  the  hospital  staff'. 

The  importance  of  veterinary  science,  and  its  application  for  humane 
benefit  in  other  countries  are  in  contrast  to  our  own^and  the  writer  can 
not  better  conclude  this  notice  than  by  quoting  from  an  address  of  Dr. 
Huidekoper,  recently  delivered  in  this  city: 

In  Berlin  and  Paris  a  large  force  of  veterinarians  is  constantly  employed  in  the 
slaughterhouses.  In  Bcilin  all  live  animals  shipped  into  the  city  must  be  unloaded 
in  a  given  quarter,  where,  by  a  force  of  some  tweiity-livo  veterinarians  who  have  no 
other  duties,  they  are  first  inspected  on  landing.  They  are  then  removed  to  stables 
and  reinspected.'  Watch  is  kept  over  them  during  slaughter  and  the  removal  of  the 
viscera,  and,  after  dressing  of  the  carcass,  the  flesh  is  reexamined.  In  the  case  of 
hogs  and  some  other  animals,  portions  of  each  animal  from  ditferent  nuiscles  are  sent 
to  an  office  where  they  undergo  an  examination  by  means  of  a  microscope,  for  tri- 
china and  measles. 

The  duty  of  the  veterinarian  employed  as  meat  inspector  in  the  cities  of  Europe, 
includes  the  examination  of  animals  in  the  cattle-market ;  the  examination  of  live 
animals  in  the  slaughterhouses  and  abattoirs;  examination  after  slaughter;  exam- 
ination of  nu^ats  brought  iuto  the  city  that  have  been  slaughtered  elsewhere ;  inspec- 
tion of  the  butcher  shops ;  inspection  of  the  traveling  butchers  and  huckster  wagons, 
and  iu8])ection  of  the  meats  furnished  to  hospitals,  prisous.and  other  public  institutions. 

In  the  United  States  but  little  has  been  done  toward  regulating  the  inspection  of 


360  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENTfSYLVANIA. 

animal  food.  In  oiir  larger  cities,  frequently  attacLed  to  the  board  of  health,  at 
other  times  ajjpointotl  as  independent  inspectors,  we  have  men  known  as  food  in- 
spectors. In  the  majority  of  cases  these  men  are  appointed  more  for  political  rea- 
sons than  for  any  other,  and  are  men  who,  however  honest  they  may  be,  are  absolutely 
ignorant  of  the  snbject  and  incompetent  to  decide  npon  the  character  and  quality  of 
a  piece  of  meat ;  again,  however  competent  and  faithful  these  inspectors  may  be  in 
their  duties,  the  laws  regulating  food  inspection  in  any  of  the  cities  of  the  United 
States  are  incomplete,  and  do  not  give  the  proper  authority  for  coudenming  food  unfit 
foru.se,  and  do  not  provide  the  proper  indemnity  for  the  owners  of  those  animals 
who  are  so  unfortunate  aa  to  have  purchased  a  live  animal  whose  flesh  they  do  not 
know  is  unfit  for  U80. 


^ 


1        w 


Chapter  XVL 
PHYSICAL  EDUCATION  AND  ATHLETICS. 


The  department  of  physical  education  was  added  to  the  University 
during  the  winter  of  1885,  the  inaugural  address  being  delivered  by  Dr. 
J.  William  White,  January  21.  The  reason  which  induced  the  trustees 
to  make  this  addition  was  that  they  desired  to  give  to  every  student  a 
means  by  which  he  could  acT^omplish  his  life  work  with  greater  credit  to 
himself  and  benefit  to  his  fellow  men.  Not  only  have  many  alumni  of 
our  own  University  recognized  that  their  life  work  has  been  hindered  by 
a  want  of  jiroper  attention  to  their  physical  needs,  but  also  many  alumni 
in  all  of  the  great  universities,  both  in  America  and  England,  have  been 
convinced  of  the  same  fact.  It  has  been  proven  again  and  again  that 
in  every  occupation,  calling,  or  profession  in  which  a  man  is  engaged, 
in  every  position  in  life  which  he  can  occupy,  a  properly  developed 
frame  is  not  only  of  advantage  to  him,  but  is  almost  essential  to  success. 
It  is  also  known  with  the  same  certainty  that,  other  things  being  equal, 
the  man  who  possesses  health  and  strength  is  not  jonly  able  to  do  better 
work  than  his  rival  who  lacks  those  attributes,  but  he  will  do  it  more 
easily,  pleasantly,  and  with  the  greatest  amount  of  comfort  to  himself 
and  usefulness  to  his  fellow  men.  The  trustees  when  adding  this  de- 
partment supplied  places  ^here  the  practical  part  of  the  course  could  be 
properly  carried  out.  These  were  a  gymnasium  and  an  athletic  ground 
having  a  fine  quarter-mile  track  for  running,  walking,  and  bicycle  riding, 
which  was  laid  out  with  funds  subscribed  by  some  of  our  alumni.  In 
that  part  of  the  athletic  ground  which  was  surrounded  by  the  track, 
an  admirable  baseball  and  football  field  was  made.  A  grand  stand 
and  club  house  were  also  ere(;ted  and  a  competent  person  procured  to 
take  charge  of  the  grounds.  The  gymnasium  was  supplied  with  the 
most  modern  and  best  apparatus  and  a  sufticient  number  of  shower 
baths  added  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  students  in  the  Collegiate  De 
partment.  The  system  adopted  was  a  thorough  and  proper  one  and  the 
same  is  used  in  the  University  at  the  present  time.  Each  student  has 
his  heart,  lungs,  back,  chest,  abdomen,  etc.,  examined,  so  that  defects 
may  be  noticed  when  existing;  a  record  of  each  student's  family  history 
is  also  kept  and  by  referring  to  it  one  can  easily  learn  whether  there 
has  been  a  i^redisposition  to  nervous,  pulmonary,  cardiac,  digestive, 
circulatory,  or  other  diseases ;  and  in  addition  lectures  are  delivered  upon 

361 


3G2  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

clothing,  fliet,  sleep,  ventilation,  bathing,  and  upon  other' matters  per- 
taining to  personal  hygiene-.  The  student,  having  been  stripped  prior 
to  the  examination  of  his  heart,  lungs,  etc.,  is  also  carefully  examined  as 
to  his  weight,  height,  the  circumference  of  his  chest,  the  size  and  con- 
dition of  his  legs  and  thighs,  arms  and  forearms.  The  sum  of  these 
measurements  expressed  in  any  convenient  terms  which  may  be  selected, 
centimetersor  inches  for  example,  are  taken  as  an  approximate  indication 
of  his  development.  It  indicates,  tlnit  is,  with  more  or  less  accuracy, 
the  amount  of  working  material  which  he  jjossesses,  but  it  altogether 
fails  to  show  the  actual  working  value  of  that  material.  Having  re- 
corded the  development,  the  total  available  strength  of  each  student 
is  then  obtained,  and  for  this  purpose  a  series  of  tests,  which  show  the 
strength  respectively  of  the  back,  legs  and  thighs,  arms,  and  chest, 
forearms,  and  abdominal  muscles,  is  made.  The  sum  of  these  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  same  terms  as  those  indicating  the  development  and  can 
readily  be  compared  with  it,  the  difference  between  the  development 
and  the  total  strength  indicating  the  "condition."  If  the  strength  is 
in  excess  of  the  development  the  condition  is  good,  and  the  figures 
representing  it  have  a  plus  value;  if  the  reverse  is  the  case,  the  condi- 
tion is  poor,  and  the  figures  have  a  minus  value.  These  examinations 
are  repeated  once  a  year  and  any  changes  that  may  have  taken  place 
noted.  AVith  such  a  system  it  has  beeu  found  that  great  benefit  has 
been  the  result  not  only  to  oiw  students  and  University,  but  also  in  such 
institutions  as  Harvard,  Yale,  Cornell,  Amherst,  and  many  others.  The 
regard  which  Harvard  has  for  its  department  of  physical  education, 
and  the  benefit  her  students  have  received  from  it,  can  best  be  under- 
stood by  a  quotation  from  President  Elliott's  own  words.  He  says :  "  It 
is  agreed  on  all  hands  that  the  increased  attention  given  to  physical 
exercise  and  athletic  s^iorts  within  the  past  twenty-five  years  has  been, 
on  the  whole,  of  great  advantage  to  the  University,  that  the  average 
physique  of  the  mass  of  our  students  has  been  sensibly  improved,  the 
discipline  of  the  college  been  made  easier  and  more  efltective,  the  work 
of  many  zealous  students  been  done  with  greater  safety,  and  the  ideal 
student  been  transformed  from  a  stooping,  weak,  and  sickly  youth,  into 
one  well-formed,  robust,  and  healthy,"  The  same  sentiment  has  also 
been  expressed  by  one  of  the  professors  in  Yale  College.  Such  admis- 
sions and  sentiments  from  colleges  with  the  standing  possessed  by 
Harvard  and  Yale  can  not  fail  to  impress  any  fair-minded  person  with 
the  benefit  (lerived  from  a  rational  course  of  ijhysical  culture. 

The  leading  educational  institutions  of  America  have  recognized  the 
inii)ortance  of  scientific  care  of  the  body  and  our  University  was  among 
the  very  first.  As  time  went  on,  interest  in  this  work  increased,  and 
the  result  is  that  our  gymnasium  which,  at  first,  was  able  to  meet  the 
demands,  is  now  unable  to  accommodate  one-third  of  the  students  who 
wish  to  avail  themselves  of  tlie  benefits  derived  by  using  it.  The  course 
in  physical  education  has  never  sought  to  cultivate  a  stndent's  body 
at  the  expense  of  his  brain  j  but  its  aim,  already  partially  successful, 


PHYSICAL   EDUCATION.  303 

has  been  to  make  the  sick  well;  the  idle,  active;  the  nonstudious, 
studious;  and  the  weak,  strong;  these  having  been  accomplished  by 
showing  ea(!h  student  how  to  develop  himself  in  a  rational  and  symmet- 
rical way  in  mind  as  well  as  body,  impressing  him  that  the  prime  factor 
in  the  coiu'se  was  health  and  not  strength.  The  department  has  always 
had  three  chief  objects  in  view,  first,  to  supply  the  demands  and  remedy 
the  defects  of  every  constitution;  secondly,  to  improve  the  general 
health  and  strength,  and,  lastly,  after  having  made  the  improvements, 
to  retain  them.  As  artist,  sculptor,  or  architect  seeks  for  i^  perfect 
model  so  should  every  student  seek  perfect  health  by  striving  to  obta,in 
a  symmetrical  development,  both  mentally  and  physically.  The  health 
of  the  mind  primarily  depends  upon  the  health  of  the  body;  vigorous 
mental  occupation  or  even  refined  enjoyment  soon  becomes  distasteful 
if  one's  cerebral  processes  are  not  supported  and  reenforced  by  sound 
and  robust  physical  health.  In  the  majority  of  cases  where  our  students 
have  been  naturally  athletic  and  fond  of  sports,  it  has  been  found  that 
these  students  rank  among  the  honor  men  of  their  class,  and  it  is  quite 
certain  that  our  different  athletic  sports  in  no  way  interfere  with  the 
mental  standing  of  the  men  who  indulge  in  them.  Moreover,  it  has 
also  been  found  here  and  elsewhere  that  men  who  fail  in  their  studies 
for  want  of  systematic  diligence  also  fail  in  athletic  contests  for  the 
same  reason.  We  need  a  larger  gymnasium  where  we  can  accommodate 
at  least  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  students  at  a  time; 
a  place  where  recreation  can  be  mingled  with  bodily  benefits,  where 
students  from  all  departments  may  be  brought  together  and  learn  to 
know  one  another,  where  the  tedious  hours  of  the  class  room  may  be 
forgotten  for  a  short  time,  thus  giving  the  brain  an  opportunity  to  ob- 
tain the  rest  it  so  often  needs.  Brain  overwork  is  much  more  exhaust- 
ing than  body  .overwork  because  the  structiu-e  of  the  brain  is  much 
more  delicate,  hence  the  great  need  for  ijroper  cerebral  rest,  and  a 
better  means  than  the  use  of  an  attractive  gymnasium  is  hard  to  find. 
Many  students  who  have  inherited  weak  lungs,  irregular  hearts,  nerv- 
ous tendencies,  and  many  other  weaknesses,  have  been  so  improved 
since  this  department  was  first  started,  that  their  troubles  have  entirely 
disappeared,  and  they  have  thus  been  enabled  to  increase  their  mental 
work  with  less  danger  of  jeopardizing  their  health  and  have  gone  forth 
better  prepared  to  compete  with  other  men  in  the  life  of  our  great  Re- 
public, and  to  aid  in  the  solution  of  the  many  sociological  and  educa- 
tional problems  which  remain  to  test  the  mental  and  physical  strength 
of  workers  of  our  generation.  In  conclusion,  let  me  say  that  the  depart- 
ment is  indebted  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  the  support  they  so  kiu«lly 
gave  it  when  it  was-first  founded,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  with  the 
results  already  obtained,  they  will  recognize  the  necessity  for  adding 
to  our  University  a  gymnasium  worthy  of  and  fit  for  the  great  duty  of 
physically  preparing  the  thousands  of  our  coming  alumni  for  their  life- 
work,  both  as  individuals  in  the  struggle  for  existence  and  as  faithful 
sons  of  our  alma  mater. 


Chapter  XVII. 

THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHILOSOPHY. 


The  Department  of  Philosophy  may  be  said  to  have  come  into  exist- 
ence at  a  meeting  of  a  gronii  of  professors  at  the  house  of  Provost 
Pepper  on  March  9,  1884.  The  meeting  was  called  in  response  to  a 
growing  feeling  that  the  higher  instruction  in  liberal  studies  should  be 
organized  and  put  upon  an  equal  footing  with  other  departments  in  the 
University.  A  plan  of  organization  was  drawn  up,  which,  being  sub- 
sequently approved  by  the  honorable  Board  of  Trustees,  served  as  a 
working  basis  for  the  new  department  until  the  autumn  of  the  year 
1888,  when  a  number  of  changes  were  made.  As  the  earlier  and  later 
plans  were  essentially  alike  in  all  that  concerns  the  form  of  instruction, 
the  choice  of  studies,  and  the  requirements  for  the  degree,  differing 
chiefly  in  the  functions  exercised  by  the  ofiBcers  of  the  facultj ,  a  detailed 
description  of  the  plan  first  adopted  is  unnecessary.  It  is  sufficient  to 
state  that  it  took  as  model,  in  a  general  way  at  least,  the  philosophical 
faculty  as  it  at  present  exists  in  the  German  universities,  and  it  was 
intended  to  cover  about  the  same  ground.  A  few  students  were  entered 
and  work  was  begun;  but,  the  attention  of  the  University  being  di- 
verted to  other  movements,  it  was  not,  for  the  time  being,  prosecuted 
with  the  earnestness  and  vigor  which  would  warrant  "an  expectation 
of  any  large  measure  of  success. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  College  year,  1888-1889,  a  committee  was 
.appointed  to  draw  up  a  new  plan  of  organization,  retaining  the  essential 
features  of  the  old  one,  but  obviating  some  of  its  inconveniences.  This 
plan,  modified,  and  approved  by  the  faculty,  was  accepted  by  the  Board 
of  Tnistees  in  November,  1888,  and  has  been  in  operation  since.  The 
officers  of  the  faculty  are  a  dean,  a  secretary-,  and  an  executive  com- 
mittee. The  dean  presides  at  meetings  of  the  fjiculty  and  executive 
committee  and  at  all  examinations  of  candidates  for  the  degree.  He 
receives  applications  for  admission  to  the  department,  and  all  students 
report  to  him,  at  the  beginning  of  the  University  year,  the  studies  they 
intend  pursuing,  or  come  to  him  for  advice  in  making  their  selections. 
The  executive  committee,  consisting  of  five  menflScrs,  represents  the 
various  gioups of  allied  studies  in  which  courses  are  offered,  and  is  em- 
powered to  accept  or  reject  apiilications  for  admission,  to  arrange  for 
courses  of  lectures,  and  to  ])ublisTl  the  yearly  announcements.  It  pre- 
sents to  the  faculty,  through  the  dean,  at  the  stated  yearly  faculty 
364 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    PHILOSOPHY.  365 

meeting-  on  the  third  Saturday  iu  May,  a  report  of  the  work  done  dur- 
ing the  year. 

Regular  students  in  the  Department  of  Philosophy,  candidates  for 
the  degree  of  doctor  of  philosophy,  must  be  grjitluates  in  arts  or  science 
of  an  American  college,  whose  degrees  are  accepted  by  the  University 
as  equivalent  to  its  own,  or  they  must  satisfy  the  executive  committee 
that  they  possess  an  equivalent  preparation  for  advanced  studies.  The 
admission  of  students  not  holding  the  bachelor's  degree  has  been  very 
exceptional.  Special  students,  not  candidates  for  the  degree,  are  ad- 
mitted to  the  instruction  of  the  department  on  application  to  the  dean, 
by  consent  of  the  professors  whose  courses  they  select. 

A  candidate  for  the  degree  of  doctor  of  philosophy  must  pursue 
graduate  studies  for  at  least  two  years,  present  a  thesis  showing 
original  research  in  his  lino  of  special  study,  and  pass  a  satisfactory 
examination.  Of  the  time  required  in  graduate  study,  one  year  must 
be  spent  in  residence  at  this  University ;  the  remainder  may  have  been 
spent  at  some  other  university. 

The  candidate  for  the  degree  presents  liimself  for  examination  in 
three  studies,  one  of  which  he  designates  as  his  principal  or  major,  and 
the  other  two  as  his  subordinate  or  minor  subjects.  The  list  from  which 
he  may  choose  is  determined  by  the  faculty,  and  may  be  modified  at  its 
.  jvill.  As  approved  at  the  adoption  of  the  new  rules  in  1888,  it  included 
the  following  subjects:  American  archajology  and  languages,  American 
history,  botany,  inorganic  chemistry,  organic  chemistry,  comparative 
philology  and  Sanscrit,  English  language  and  literature,  experimental 
psychology,  Grermanic  philology  and  literature,  general  history,  Greek 
language  and  literature,  history  and  development  of  legal  institutions, 
mathematics,  mineralogy  and  geology,  philosophy,  physics,  political 
economy,  political  science,  romance  philology  and  literature,  Semitic 
languages  and  literature,  and  zoology.  A  few  changes  have  since  been 
mg-de,  but  the  list  is  substantially  what  it  was  when  first  drawn  up. 
It  was  not  felt  to  be  altogether  satisfactory,  and  it  contains,  as  will  be 
'  observed,  several  serious  gaps.  These  were  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
professors  representing  certain  lacking  subjects  were  overburdened  with 
undergraduate  work  and  could  not  be  asked  to  add  to  their  labors  by 
giving  systematic  graduate  instruction. 

Examinations  for  degrees  are  conducted  in  the  presence  of  the  dean 
and  three  examiners,  the  professors  in  charge  of  the  major  and  minor 
subjects.  Notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  examination  is  sent  to 
each  member  of  the  faculty,  and  any  professor  may  attend  and  question 
the  candidate  if  he  see  fit.  After  the  examination,  the  dean  and  the 
examiners  are  constituted  a  committee  to  decide  upon  the  success  of 
the  candidate.  If  they  are  not  unanimous,  or  if  any  other  professor 
attending  object,  there  is  a  provision  that  the  case  shall  be  referred  to  the 
faculty.  The  successful  candidate  may,  with  the  consent  of  the  execu- 
tive committee,  and  under  the  direction  of  the  professor  in  charge  of 


36G  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

his  major  subject,  print*  his  thesis  as  one  acceptetl  for  the.  deg^rce. 
Whether  printed  or  not,  a  copy  must  be  deposited  witli  the  Librarian 
of  tlic  University.  As  the  olnject  of  tl>e  instruction  in  the  Department 
of  Philosophy  is  U)  train  speciahsts  in  literature  and  science,  the  Rtudent 
is  left  largely  to  the  care  of  the  professor  in  charge  of  his  major  subject. 
He  follows  his  advice  in  methods  of  work  and  in  direction  of  work. 
Where  the  number  of  students  is  small  there  is  a  possibility  of  much 
familiar  intercourse  betwisen  professor  and  student,  than  which  nothing 
can  be  more  stimulating  or  helpful.  The  younger  scholar  sees  his 
teacher  at  work,  catches  his  spirit,  and  absorbs  his  methods.  The  form 
which  the  instruction  shall  take  is  left  very  much  to  the  judgment  of 
the  professor.  In  some  cases  it  is  given  almost  wholly  in  the  labora- 
tory, in  others  informal  lectures,  and  in  still  others  through  the  medium 
of  the  seminary  in  free  discussion  and  criticism  of  papers  prej^ared  by 
the  student.  In  all  cases  its  object  is  to  teach  the  student  to  work  for 
himself  and  to  be  independent.  He  is  suiiposed  to  ]iiake  himself  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  some  department  of  his  major  subject,  and  to  have 
a  fair  knowledge  of  the  two  subjects  chosen  as  minors.  These  last  he 
may  choose  either  because  they  are  of  importance  from  the  point  of 
view  of  his  major,  or  merely  for  the  sake  of  gaining  a  broader  culture. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  most  students  choose  minors  which  serve  as  aids  to 
their  special  subject  of  study.  An  idea  of  the  scope  of  the  graduate 
instruction  given  at  the  University  may  be  gained  from  the  announce- 
ment of  courses  for  the  year  1891-'92,  the  last  one  issued  at  the  time 
of  this  writing.    It  comprises  the  following  courses  of  lectures: 

By  the  professor  of  American  archieology  and  linguistics,  lectures  on 
the  general  i)hilology  of  American  languages;  on  the  Algonquin,  the 
^ahuatl,  the  Maya,  and  the  Kechua  groups;  and  on  American  archte- 
ology  and  methods  of  study  in  archfi^ology. 

By  the  professors  of  American  history,  lectures  on  the  institutional 
and  constitutional  history  of  the  United  States  from  1787  to  1892;  ai^d 
on  the  development  of  the  State  governments. 

By  the  professors  of  botany,  lectures  on  the  classification  of  plants; 
on  plant  histology;  and  plant  physiology. 

By  the  professors  of  chemistry,  lectures  on  the  methods  of  proximate 
analysis  of  organic  C(mipounds;  on  synthetic  methods  of  organic  chem- 
istry; on  the  industrial  applications  of  chemistry;  on  chemical  thecny; 
on  electrolysis  and  electrolytic  methods;  on  thernio  chemistry  and  on 
special  topics  in  pure  inorganic  and  analytical  chemistry. 

By  the  professor  of  comparative  i)hilology  and  Sanskrit,  lectures  on 
Sanskrit  grammar;  on  the  (^akuntala  and  the  Veda;  on  linguistics  and 
comparative  philology  of  the  Indo-European  languages,  with  special  ref- 
erence tuphonetics;  on  phonetics  andthe  principles  of  comparative  gram- 
mar, with  special  reference  to  the  forms  of  Greek  and  Latin^  on  Old  Iran- 
ian grammar  and  selections  from  the  A  vesta;  and  (for  students  of 
Assyriology)  on  the  old  Persian  text  of  the  Behistim  Inscription. 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF   PHILOSOniY.  367 

Jly  tin*  lecturer  on  Eur(>i)eiiii  liistory,  hM-tures  on  Frant-e  in  -the 
eijiiliteentli  century. 

Wy  the  professor  of  experimental  i)sychology,  lecitures  on  experi- 
mental psychology;  and  on  comparative,  social,  and  abnormal  psy- 
chology. 

By  the  professor  of  English,  lectures  on  the  English  drama;  on  the 
principles  of  dramatic  construction;  oil  the  history  and  theory  of 
poetics;  on  the  evolution  of  literary  types. 

By  the  professor  of  Germanic  philology,  lectures  on  Gothic  x>honol- 
ogy,  grammar,  and  readings  in  Ultilas. 

By  the  professor  of  Greek,  lectures  on  the  Greek  drama,  and  on  the 
Greek  orators;  Greek  syntax. 

By  the  professor  of  Latin,  selections  from  the  letters  and  orations  of 
Cicero;  studies  in  the  poetry  of  Virgil  and  Horace. 

By  the  professor  of  law,  a  course  on  Eoman  law  and  jurisprudence. 

By  the  professors  of  mathematics,  lectures  on  modern  higher  algebra; 
on  higher  plane  curves ;  on  the  theory  of  numbers;  and  on  the  theory 
of  functions. 

By  the  professors  of  philosophy,  lectures  on  the  history  of  modern 
philosophy,  on  ethics,  and  on  general  psychology. 

By  the  professor  of  physics,  lectures,  and  instruction  in  the  physical 
laboratory. 

By  the  professors  of  political  economy  and  political  science,  lectures 
on  the  history  of  the  theories  of  the  distribution  of  wealth;  and  on 
the  history  and  theories  of  the  state. 

By  the  professors  of  Semitic  languages,  the  following  courses:  Ble- 
menfcp  of  Arabic  grammar,  with  reading  and  exercises;  selected  Suras 
from  the  Koran ;  prose^ind  poetical  pieces  from  the  Beirut  Chrestom- 
athy ;  lectures  on  Arabic  poetry ;  elements  of  Syriac  grammar,  with  read- 
ings ;  Biblical  Aramaic  grammar,  with  readings  from  the  book  of  Daniel ; 
the  Mishnaic  Treatise  of  Sabbath;  the  Pirke  Aboth;  elementary,  inter- 
mediate, and  advanced  courses  in  Hebrew ;  a  course  of  readings  from 
the  Hebrew  prophets;  the  Moabite  stone,  the  Siloam  inscription,  and 
selected  Plwenician  inscriptions  from  the  Corpus  Inscriptionum  Semiti- 
carum;  Assyrian  grammar;  selected  Babylonian  texts;  cursive  reading 
of  Assyrian  texts,  and  interpretation  of  Ethiopic  texts. 

By  the  professors  of  zook)gy,  courses  on  general  biology;  on  inverte- 
brate morphology ;  on  comparative  histology ;  comparative  embryology ; 
the  mechanism  of  locomotion,  and  mammalian  neurology  and  craniology. 

These  lectures  are  intended  exclusively  for  graduates,  but  any  courses 
delivered  to  undergraduates  are  open  to  matriculates  in  the  Depai  t- 
i^  ment  of  Philosophy  who  may  desire  to  make  use  of  them.  I  have  en- 
tered rather  minutely  into  the  details  of  the  organization  of  this  new 
department  at  the  University,  and  of  the  instruction  it  ofters,  though  I 
am  quite  conscious  that  my  paper  will  be  found  rather  tedious.  It 
has  seemed  to  me  undesirable  to  omit  anything,  for  the  reason  that  or- 


3G8  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

gamzed  graduate  iustructiou  iii  liberal  studies  is  ouly  coinincnciug  to 
gain  a  foothold  in  oiu*  American  universities,  and  its  beginnings  may, 
in  the  time  to  come,  have  no  little  historical  interest.  Until  Avitliiu  a 
very  few  years,  the  graduate  student  in  even  our  best  equipped  insti- 
tutions found  himself  an  exception  falling  under  no  recognized  rule, 
and  unprovided  with  systematic  and  regular  instruction.  The  amount 
and  quality  of  his  work  for  the  degree  were  determined  arbitrarily,  and 
might  vary  within  unreasonably  wide  limits.  This  condition  of  things 
is  gradually  changing,  and  there  is  slowly  coming  to  be  a  consensus  of 
opinion  on  the  proper  value  of  the  doctor's  degree,  and  an  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  larger  universities,  at  least,  to  furnish  suitable  teaching. 
It  is  to  this  movement  that  we  must  look  for  more  efficient  teachers  in 
all  grades  of  our  schools,  both  public  and  private. 

The  growth  of  the  department  may  be  seen  from  the  following  state- 
ment of  matriculates  entered:  Matriculated  1884-'85,  1;  withdrew 
1884-'85,  1;  matriculated  1885-'86,3;  withdrew  1885-'86,  2;  cx)ntinued 
from  1885-'86,  1 ;  matriculated  1886-'87,4;  withdrew  1886-'87,  2;  con- 
tinued from  1886-'87,  3;  matriculated  1887-'88,  4;  total  at  the  close  of 
1887-'88,  7;  matriculated  1888-'89,  8;  withdrew  1888-'89,  2;  received 
the  <legree  1888-'89,  1;  total  at  the  close  of  1888-'89,  12;  matriculated 
1889-'90,  22;  withdrew^  1889-'90,  1;  total  at  the  close  of  1889-'90,  33; 
matriculated,  1890-'91,  9;  withdrew  1890-'9l,  11;  received  the  degree, 
189()-'91,  6;  total  at  the  close  of  1890-'91,  25;  matriculated  lS91-'92, 
31;  received  the  degree  1891-'92,  G;  withdrew  18;  total  at  the  close  of 
1891-'92,  32. 

There  are  at  the  time  of  this  writing  (October,  1892)  63  matriculates 
in  the  dei)artment.  There  are  also  2-4  special  students  who  ar^  not 
candidates  for  the  degree.  Twelve  of  the  matciculates  and  five  of  the 
special  students  are  women. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  the  choice  of  major  and  minor  subjects. 
Each  matriculate,  it  will  be  remembered,  chooses  two  minors.  Some 
of  those  who  have  entered  this  year  have  not  yet  made  a  choice  of 
minors,  so  the  list  is  incomplete. 

Major  subjects. — American  history,  2;  botany,  5;  chemistry,  10 ;  Eng- 
lish language  and  literature,  3;  European  history,  1;  exi)erimental 
psychology,  2;  Greek  language  and  literatui-e,  2;  Latin  language  and 
literature,  1;  geology,  1;  mathematics,  1;  mineralogy,  1 ;  philosophy, 
13;  political  economy,  10;  x>olitical  science,  1;  Semitic  languages,  7; 
zoology,  3. 

Minor  auhjecU. — Botany,  7;  chemistry,  6;  comparative  philology,  1; 
English,  4;  European  history,  7;  ex]»erimental  psychology,  10;  geology, 
3;  Germanic  philology,  1;  Greek  language  and  literature,  1;  Latin 
language  and  literature,  1 ;  mathematics,  1;  mineralogy,  4;  philosophy, 
10;  physics,  6;  political  economy,  7;  politi<;al  science,  10;  romance,  lan- 
guages, and  literature,  1;  Semitic  languages,  6;  zoology,  5. 

Special  students — American  history,  0;  English,  2;  I'^uropean  history. 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    PHILOSOPHY.  3()9 

2;  mathematics,  1;  philosopliy,  15;  physics,  1;  political  economy,  3; 
political  science,  2;  romance  languages,  1;  Semitic  languages,  7; 
zoology,  2. 

The  degree  of  master  of  arts,  heretofore  conferred  by  the  College  fac- 
ulty on  ])resentation  of  a  satisfactory  thesis  three  years  after  the  (can- 
didate has  received  his  bachelor's  degree,  will,  after  the  year  1.S92, 
be  conferred  by  the  faculty  of  philosophy,  and  only  after  at  least  one 
year's  graduate  study.  At  the  stated  meeting  of  the  faculty  in  May, 
1800,  it  was  decided  that  the  candidate  for  the  master's  degree  should 
not  be  bound  by  the  rules  which  determine  the  choice  of  studies  in  the 
case  of  candidates  for  the  doctor's  degree,  but  should  make  his  own 
selection,  subject  only  to  the  approval  of  the  executive  committee. 
This  action  was  taken  from  the  feeling  that  the  object  of  the  two 
courses  is  somewhat  different.  Those  who  enter  the  shorter  course 
usually  doing  so  rather  for  the  jniipose  of  general  liberal  culture  than 
for  that  of  becoming  specialists.^ 

In  closing  this  paper  I  may  be  permitted  to  point  out  certain  reasons 
why  in  my  opinion  it  is  the  peculiar  duty  of  our  University  in  common 
with  the  few  others  situated  in  large  cities  to  encourage  advanced  work 
in  liberal  studies.  The  advanced  student  has  need  of  a  kind  of  instruc- 
tion, of  collections  of  books,  and  of  material  for  investigation,  which  are 
not  necessary  in  undergraduate  work.  In  a  great  city  a  university 
can  readily  obtain  the  services  of  eminent  specialists,  who  could  not  be 
reached  at  all  in  a  country  town ;  it  has  open  to  it  scientific  and  literary 
societies,  public  and  in  many  cases  private  libraries,  museums  and 
scientific  collections  of  all  descriptions.  Whatever  be  the  resources, 
of  the  University  itself,  they  can  not  but  be  materially  strengthened  by 
such  additions. 

Moreover,  in  certain  departments  material  for  investigation  can  not 
readily  be  found  away  from  a  city. 

I  may  illuT5trate  the  value  of  such  helps  by  taking  the  single  instance 
of  the  courses  in  experimental  psychology  lately  esttiblished  at  this 
University.  A  student  of  psychology  has  open  to  him  the  courses  de- 
livered in  the  medical  school  on  anatomy  and  physiology,  he  has  oppor- 
tunities for  dissection;  he  may  attend  clinics  at  which  nervous  patients 
are  treated;  he  has  courses  to  choose  from  on  mental  i)athology,  and  an 
opportunity  to  familiarize  himself  with  the  types  of  mental  diseases  by 
actual  inspection  of  cases ;  he  finds  within  easy  reach  asylums  for  the 
insane,  and  institutions  for  deaf-mutes  and  for  the  blind;  he  may 
study  in  the  laboratory  the  reactions  of  various  abnormal  cases  sent  to 
the  professor  by  physicians  interested  in  the  psychological  aspects  of 
their  professi  i.  These  opportunities  for  special  investigation  could 
hot  be  open  to  him  in  a  small  town. 

1<; 

'i  '  For  course  in  Department  of  Masin,  see  page  442. 

ot         1180 2i 


•  Chapter  XVIII. 
THE  SCHOOL  OF  AMERICAN  HISTORY  AND  INSTITUTIONS. 


It  has  been  said  that  Franklin  educated  the  people  of  the  American 
colonies  in  the  knowledge  of  their  liberties.  His  utilitarian  notions  in 
e«lucation,  formulated  in  his  Plan  for  an  English  School,  and  in  his 
Pioposals  for  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania,  and  illustrated 
in  his  life  and  writings  and  in  the  institutions  founded  according  to  his 
ideas,  culminating  in  the  foundation  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
are  always  illustrative  of  the  education  which  he  considered  was  best 
adapted  to  such  a  country  as  ours.  America  in  his  day  was  agricul- 
tural, and  I  have  already  referred  to  the  interest  which  Jefferson, 
Washington,  and  Franklin  took  in  agricultural  affairs,  and  in  the  pro- 
vision for  the  study  of  chemistry,  botany,  fruit  culture,  viticulture,  and 
the  care  of  stock.  Hamilton,  whose  life  was  in  the  city  and  among 
politicians,  advocated  a  j)olitical  edncation.  In  the  correspondence 
between  Hamilton  and  Washington  much  is  said  by  each  of  them  in 
support  of  the  founding  of  a  national  university  in  which  jurisi)rudence, 
'politics,  history,  social  science,  and  cognate  subjects  should  be  taught. 
Jefferson  prescribed  American  hist^uy  as  one  of  the  subjects  indispen- 
sable in  an  American  school.  It  may  be  concluded,  then,  from  the  i)ub- 
lic  services  and  from  the  writings  of  these  eminent  men  that  they  con- 
sidered the  priucii)les  of  republican  government  and  its  history  in  this 
countiy  us  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  university  study. 

Philadelphia  is  identified  with  several  of  the  epoch-making  events  in 
American  history.  There  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  made; 
there  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  framed  by  a  comj)any 
of  unequaled  legislators,  and  Benjamin  Franklin  w^as  a  member  of  the 
committee  that  drew  the  Declaration  and  of  the  convention  that  made 
the  Constitution,  Philadelidiia  is  an  American  city  in  America;  its 
material  prosperity  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  character  of  its  inhabit- 
ants. Whether  or  not  they  have  incorjiorated  into  their  systems  the 
spirit  of  Franklin's  Way  to  Wealth,  they  have  exemplified  the  enormous 
efiBciency  of  Franklin's  maxims  in  the  accumulative  productivity  of' 
wealth  for  which  the  city  is  famous.  The  city  has  always  been  national, 
in  its  sympathies,  and  at  no  time  was  this  spirit  more  grandly  displayer- 
than  during  the  civil  war.  Among  the  effects  of  the  civil  war  of  a' 
educational  character  is  the  present  interest  in  the  history  and  iustitiy, 
370 


THE  SCHOOL  OF  .UklERICAN  HISTORY  AND  INSTITUTIONS.      371 

tioiis  of  the  United  States.  I*revioiis  to  the  war  American  history  was 
scarcely  considered  worthy  of  a  phice  in  a  college  course;  it  was  studied 
in  meager  outline  in  some  of  the  public  schools  of  the  States,  and  in  a 
few  of  the  wealthier  universities  a  brief  course  of  lectures  was  delivered, 
usually  by  the  president,  on  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
This  course  rarely  covered  more  than  twelve  lectures.  The  civil  war 
transformed  America  into  a  new  nation,  or,  at  least,  awakened  its  peo- 
ple and  the  nations  of  the  world  to  a  clearer  definition  of  the  place  of 
America  in  the  modern  world.  The  effect  of  this  awakening  was  seen 
in  the  establishing  of  courses  of  study  in  American  history  (1870-1885) 
at  Harvard,  Yale,  Columbia,  Cornell,  Princeton,  Pennsylvania,  Michi- 
gan, Syracuse,  and  Wisconsin.  The  subject  was  not  made  of  sufficient 
imi)ortance  to  require  the  entire  attention  of  a  professor  except  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  where  the  historian,  John  Bach  McMaster, 
was  elected  professor  of  American  History  in  1883.  The  lectures  in 
these  schools,  except  in  Pennsylvania,  were  usually  j:iven  by  the  pro- 
fessor of  law,  of  history,  of  political  science,  or  of  English  literature. 
These  lectures  were  a  brief  summary  of  some  important  political  events 
in  the  history  of  the  country  and  a  comment  upon  the  text  of  the  na- 
tional Constitution. 

The  civil  war  was  the  most  important  economic  event  in  modem 
American  history.  The  nation,  in  the  language  of  Lincoln,  had  a  new 
birth  of  freedom,  and  this  freedom  was  of  the  whole  estate,  political, 
constitutional,  social,  industrial,  and  literary.  Thus  it  came  to  be  seen 
that  American  history  comprised  a  large  group  of  essential  interests : 
The  history  of  the  land,  the  method  of  its  acquisition,  its  use,  and  the 
political  geography  of  the  public  domain;  the  history  of  the  pex)ple,  the 
native  races,  emigration,  and  immigration;  movements  of  population, 
transportation,  labor  and  manufactures,  inventions,  social  experiments; 
the  people  in  politics,  finance,  education;  the  poNver  of  public  opinion. 
A  third  element  was  that  of  the  constitution  of  government  in  America, 
its  origin,  growth,  and  final  definition;  its  relation  to  the  governments 
of  antiquity,  of  the  middle  ages,  and  of  modern  times;  the  nature  of 
the  colonial  efforts  in  government;  the  causes  leading  to  the  independ- 
ence of  the  United  States,  and  the  formation  of  State  constitutions 
and  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States;  the  nature  and  jurisdic- 
tion of  local  government;  the  problems  of  municipal  government;  the 
history  of  the  judiciary,  and  the  interpretation  of  government  in  acts 
of  Congress,  acts  of  State  legislatures,  and  in  the  decisions  of  courts. 
Another  phase  of  that  history  is  the  history  of  American  legislation 
in  the  State  legislatures  and  in  Congress  uiwn  an  almost  bewildering 
variety  of  subjects;  the  history  of  the  treaties  of  the  nation;  the  legis- 
lation of  courts  upon  important  subjects,  municipal  legislation,  and  not 
least  in  importance,  the  history  of  that  obsolete  legislation,  by  which 
costly  experiment  so  much  that  is  admirable  in  our  present  laws  was 
obtained. 


372  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Auotlier  element  of  American  history  is  the  history  of  literature  in 
America.  Franklin  was  lond  of  prophesying  on  the  future  jjreatness 
of  the  English  language;  that  it  would  become  an  imperial  tongue 
spoken  by  untold  millions  in  this  country,  and  that  its  literature  would 
contain  the  productions  of  chiefest  value  to  the  human  mind.  But  not 
alone  has  the  English  tongue  been  spoken  in  America;  there  the  Span- 
ish tongue  divides  witli  the  English  in  importance,  for  the  language  of 
South  America  is  chiefly  Spanish.  This  large  group  of  essential  inter- 
ests to  the  i)eople,  their  history  in  full,  is  a  subject  of  irajjortance  to 
those  who  would  know  what  is  best  for  such  a  country  as  ours.  If 
American  institutions  are  worth  having  they  are  worth  understanding; 
if  American  history  is  worth  making  it  is  worth  reading.  ^ 

It  is  not  strange,  then,  that  a  school  founded  for  the  special  study  of 
American  history  and  institutions  should  be  created  in  some  American 
university  at  some  time  not  long  after  the  American  civil  war;  that 
such  a  school  should  be  founded  in  an  institution  fairly  equii)ped  to 
jKlminister  wisely  the  provisions  of  such  a  foundation,  and  in  such  a 
idace  as  by  its  historical  associations,  its  liberal  facilities,  and  its  near- 
ness to  the  national  capital  and  to  the  great  municipal  centers  of  the 
country,  would  enable  students  to  avail  themselves  of  an  adequate  his- 
torical equipment.  Under  these  controlling  conditions  the  School  of 
American  History  and  Institutions  was  founded  in  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1891.  * 

'  The  school  was  established  in  1891  by  the  trustees  of  the  university  as  the  result 
of  the  cooperative  labors  of  William  Pepper,  m.d.,  ll.d.,  provost  of  the  university; 
Joseph  D.  Potts,  John  B.  Gest,  and  Hon.  S.  W.  Pennypacker,  of  the  board  of  trustees ; 
Charles  Elmer  Bushnell,  Ferdinand  J.  Dreer,  Hon.  Thomas  Cochran,  Joseph  G.  Rosen- 
garten,  Richard  L.  Austin,  John  Bach  McMaster,  and  Francis  NeAvton  Thorpe. 

The  school  was  instituted  by  Prof.  Thoqje,  and  the  idea  of  such  a  school  was 
formulated  by  him  in  1886  when  ho  was  a  fellow  in  history  and  political  science  in 
the  university.  Six  years  before,  while  at  Oxford  University,  the  idea  of  such  a 
school  had  occurred  to  him.  While  fellow  in  the  university  his  special  studies  wei'o 
with  Prof.  McMaster,  at  that  time  professor  of  American  History  in  the  Wharton 
School.  During  the  years  1885-91  a  library  essential  to  the  work  of  the  school 
was  collected.    At  present  it  comprises  about  14,000  volumes,  classified  as  follows: 

LIBRARY  OF  PUBLIC  DOCUMENTS. 

(rt)  National  docaments:  A  practically  complete  legislative  record  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  consisting  of  the  American  Archives;  the  Annals  of  Con- 
gress, 1789-1822;  the  Congressional  Debates,  1822-1837;  the  Congressional  Globe, 
1833-1873;  the  Congressional  Record,  1873-1891 ;  the  Journal  of  Congress,  1789-1891 ; 
the  American  State  Papers,  1789-1828;  a  practically  complete  set  of  the  Reports  of 
Committees,  E\ecutive  Document*,  Miscellaneous  Documents  of  both  Houses  from 
the  beginning  of  the  National  Government  to  the  Fifty-second  Congress. 

(b)  State  documents:  Journals  of  the  House  and  Senate ;  debates  and  proceedings 
of  the  Stat«  legislatures;  departmental  reports  (agriculture,  education,  railroads, 
labor,  transportation,  insurance,  prisons,  etc  .J. 

(c)  Canadian  Public  Documents,  1843-1890. 

(d)  Municipal  Documents  (police,  fire,  water,  charities,  etc.,  hospitals). 


THE  SCHOOL  OF  AMERICAN  HISTORY  AND  INSTITUTIONS.      373 

Philadelphia  has  such  historical  associatious  as  make  it  the  tit  place 
for  the  Ipcation  of  such  a  school.  The  historical  material  in  the 
libraries  of  New  York,  Baltimore,  Albany,  Worcester,  Boston,  Harris- 
burg,  and  Washington  are  readily  accessible.  The  faculty  of  the 
Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  made  possible  the  study  of 
economic;  and  financial  subjects  comprised  in  the  study  of  American 
history  and  institutions.  The  hiw  school  afforded  opportunity  for  the 
study  of  jurisprudence.  Finally,  it  was  i>os.sible  to  gather  a  faculty  for 
the  teaching  of  American  history,  institutional  and  constitutional;  the 
historian  of  "Tlie  People  of  the  United  States"  was  transferred  from 
the  Wharton  school  to  the  chair  of  American  History  in  the  newly 
established  school;  the  chair  of  American  Constitutional  History  was 
created  and  filled j  courses  of  study  were  arranged  and  the  school 
entered  upon  its  work  October  1,  1892. 

It  is  the  first  school  of  its  kind.  Its  courses  are  taken  by  graduates 
and  undergraduates.  Its  graduate  classes  have  the  use  of  an  ample 
library  equipment,  selected  with  care.  In  order  to  make  the  oppor- 
tunities of  the  school  as  useful  as  possible  there  is  a  Saturday  class  in 


(e)  Corporatiou  documents :  Reports  of  turnpikes,  railroads,  canals,  insurance  com- 
panies, etc.  ~ 

LIBRARY   OF   THE   LAWS. 

(a)  National :  United  States  Statutes  at  Large ;  reports  of  Supreme  Courts ;  reports 
of  Court  of  Claims ;  Digest  of  Federal  Decisions. 

(b)  State  Laws:  Laws  of  each  State  and  Territory,  1775-1890. 

(«)  Municipal  Law  (the  ordinances  of  seventy-five  American  cities  have  been  col- 
lected). 

(d)  Constitutional  Law:  Constitutions  of  each  State;  Constitution  of  foreign 
States;  Treatisgp  in  Constitutional  Law. 

The  John  Alexander  Jameson  Library  of  American  Conventions;  the  Journals, 
Proceedings,  Debates  and  many  documents  pertaining  to  them. 

The  Forster  Papers  and  MSS.,  1786-1834,  pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  the 
Northwest. 

The  Robert  Purvis  Library  of  Anti-slavery  Literature. 

American  Biography  and  History. 

The  History  of  Education  in  America. 

Collections  have  been  begun  in  these  subjects:  American  Newspapers;  American 
Magazines;  Mines  and  Mining;  Silk;  Iron  and  Steel;  Sugar;  Wool;  Cotton;  and 
other  business  and  manul'acturing  interests.  Also,  on  Woman  Sufi'rage;  the  Tem- 
perance Movement  in  America;  Transportation;  the  History  of  the  Society  of 
Friends. 

LIBRARY   FACILITIES   IN   PHILADELPHIA. 

The  aggregate  library  facilities  of  the  city  include  over  750,000  volumes,  distrib- 
uted in  the  Philadelphia  library,  founded  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  rich  in  public 
documents;  in  the  Mercantile  Library,  having  largo  collections  of  Americana;  and 
'^ the  Library  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society,  all  of  which  are  accessible  to 
students.  In  the  University  Library,  in  .addition  to  the  special  Library  of  the  School 
of  American  History,  are  the  Colwell,  Carey  and  Wharton  collections  in  political 
economy,  in  social  and  political  science.  The  University  Law  Libraries  and  the 
Hirst  Free  Law  Library  afford  every  opportunity  to  consult  the  Law  Reports  of  the 
several  States  and  treatises  on  the  law. 


374  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

American  History  and  Goverument,  for  the  convenience  of  teachers 
in  Pljiladolphia,  which  is  largely  attended. 

For  this  class  Prof.  McMastei''s  courses  cover  the  Political  and  Eco 
nomical  History  of  the  United  States.     The  courses  follow  an  outline 
prepared  s])ecially  for  the  purpose.    Mai)s  are  drawn  and  papers  are 
])repared  and  discussed  at  the  class,  and  the  methods  of  historical  study 
are  made  an  import.ant  element. 

Prof.  Thorpe's  courses  deal  with  the  development  of  Government  in 
America,  local  government,  State  government,  national  goverment,  dis- 
cussions of  important  questions  involved  in  the  growth  of  American 
civil  institutions.  Papers  are  prepared  and  discussed  before  the  cJass. 
A  special  outline  is  arranged  for  its  convenience. 

Through  the  generosity  of  Mr.  Charles  Elmer  Bushnell,  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  school  is  enabled  to  otter  a  free  scholarshij)  for  a  period  of 
five  years  to  gi-aduates  of  the  Central  High  School  of  I^ittsburg,  Pa. 
The  scholarship  is  granted  each  year,  but  holders  of  it  are  eligible  to 
reappointment. 

The  founder  of  the  school  was  imbued  with  the  same  notion  to  whicli 
Franklin  so  often  gave  utterance:  that  education  in  American  univer- 
sities and  colleges  should  prepare  "for  su(;h  a  country  fis  ours."  Tlie 
efficient  cooperation  realized  in  the  establishing  of  this  department  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania  suggests  what  may  be  done  elsewhere. 
Every  institution  of  learning  in  America  should  xn^ovide  instruction  in 
the  principles  of  American  government  and  in  American  history.'  1 1 
is  encouraging  now  tr)  believe  that  no  American  university  will  iie.u 
lect  to  create  a  chair  of  American  history,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  pro 
vide  adequate  library  fiicilities  for  the  study  of  the  whole  subject. 
Tlie  subject  is  comprehensive,  interesting,  and  popular,  No  blotter 
proof  of  this  can  be  given  than  the  record  of  the  university  extension 
movement  in  this  country.  The  American  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Tejiching,  of  Philadelphia,  has  had  more  requests  for 
courses  of  lectures  on  American  history  than  on  any  other  subject. 
The  substantial  interest  in  the  subject  which  this  request  implies  is  a 
sufficient  foundation  for  the  adequate  support  of  such  a  scliool  as  tliis 
in  the  Univ^ersity  of  Pennsylvania. 


'  By  American  Iiistory  I  mean  not  merely  military  or  political  history,  but  the  his 
tory  of  American  people  in  all  their  interests:  Indnstrial,  social,  political,  literary, 
financial,  religions,  military,  economic,  and  constitutional.  Since  1880  the  wealthy 
universities  have  founded  chairs  of  American  htstory,  and  8e)>arated  the  suh.jci  f 
from  a  discordant  mass  of  mathematics,  languajje,  European  history,  literatnic, 
political  economy,  and  law.  The  changes  made  durinj;  the  last  few  yearsmay  hctter 
l)p  understood  by  comparing  the  study  of  American  history  at  ]treseut  with  that 
study  in  1885-86.  At  that  time  I  made  a  brief  comparative  study  of  the  work  offered 
in  the  leading  Amei'ican  universities,  which  was  republished  by  the  Bureau  of  Edu- 
cation under  the  title  of  "The  Study  of  History  in  American  Colleges  and  Univer- 
sities." It  was  edited  by  Dr.  H.  B.  Adams,  and  comprises  the  eighth  chapter  of  the 
book.  (The  Stndy  of  History  in  American  Colleges  and  Universities;  Bureau  of 
Education,  Washington,  1887.) 


Chapter  XIX. 
THE  LABORATORY  OF  HYGIENE. 


In  1889  Mr.  Henry  C  Lea  offered  to  provide  the  means  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  building  for  a  laboratory  of  hygiene  for  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  provided  that  the  necessary  funds  should  be  raised  to 
ecpiip  and  endow  it,  that  hygiene  should  be  made  a  compulsory  study 
in  certain  courses  of  the  University,  and  that  as  soon  as  possible  a  four- 
year  course  in  the  Medical  Department  should  be  established.  This 
offer  having  been  accepted,  and  the  necessary  preliminary  conditions 
complied  with,  the  preparation  of  the  ])lans  for  the  new  building  was  at 
once  commenced  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Billings,  and  these  plans, 
v;ith  ac(!ompanying  si)ecifications,  having  been  approved,  building  con- 
tracts were  signed.  The  work  oi'  construction  was  begun  in  the  spring 
of  1891,  under  the  supervision  of  the  architects,  Messrs.  Collins  and 
Autenrieth,  and  was  completed  in  January,  1892.  The  building  was 
formally  opened,  with  api^ropriate  exercises,  February  22,  1892. 

The  laboratory  is  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Thirty-fourth 
and  Locust  streets,  on  a  i)lot  of  ground  set  apart  for  that  purpose  meas- 
uring 147  by  182  feet.  The  main  front  is  on  Thirty  fourth  street  facing 
to  the  west.  The  building  is  somewhat  L-shaped,  having  an  external 
front  of  91  feet  9  inches  on  Thirty-fourth  street,  and  of  113  feet  9  inches 
on  Locust  street,  and  is  two  stories  high  with  a  basement.  It  is  con- 
structed of  brick  on  a  base  of  Conshohocken  stone,  with  sparing  use  of 
molded  brick  and  terra  cotta  for  ornamentation. 

On  the  main  iioor  is  a  lecture  room  45  feet  5  inches  by  26  feet,  with 
a  jireparing  room  15  feet  10  inches  by  10  feet  10  inches,  and  a  nnuseum 
room  15  feet  10  inches  l)y"^18  feet  adjacent,  a  chemical  laboratory  44  by 
20  feet  with  working  space  for  18  students,  five  special  research  rooms, 
each  about  15  by  18  feet,  a  drafting  room,  janitor's  office,  and  labora- 
tories. 

On  the  second  floor  is  a  bacteriological  laboratory  60  by  20  feet,  giv- 
ing working  space  for  16  students,  four  research  rooms,  a  photograph 
and  photomicrograi)h  set  of  rooms,  a  library  16  by  17  feet,  a  directors' 
room  with  small  laboratory  adjacent,  a  supplies  room,  lavatoi}',  etc. 

In  the  basement  are  workshops,  janitor's  rooms,  combustion  room, 
storeroom,  etc.  On  the  southeast  corner  is  a  small  animal  house  en- 
tirely separated  from  the  main  building. 

375 


376  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  bacteriological  and  chemical  laboratories  and  the  majority  of 
the  research  rooms  are  on  the  north  front,  and  are  lighted  by  numerous 
and  high  windows. 

The  building  is  heated  by  steam,  and  special  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  ventilation,  so  as  to  secure  not  only  an  ample  supply  of 
pure  air  in  every  room,  but  to  permit  of  experimental  work  and  prac- 
tical demonstrations  in  this  important  branch  of  sanitation.  The  fit- 
tings of  the  laboratories  and  research  rooms  include  hoods,  sinks,  work 
tables,  etc.,  with  amxjle  water  and  gas  supplies,  live  steam,  etc.  Every- 
thing abo^it  the  building  is  plain  Imt  substantial;  the  object  has  been 
to  construct  and  i)roperIy  equip  a  thoroughly  practical  working  labora- 
tory, and  it  is  believed  that  this  has  been  secured. 

The  director  of  the  laboratory  is  Dr.  John  S.  Billings  and  the  first 
assistant  is  Dr.  A.  C.  Abbott,  recently  the  assistant  in  bacteriology  and 
hygiene  in  the  Johns  Hopkins  Hospital  at  Baltimore.  The  assistant  in 
bacteriology  is  Dr.  Albert  A.  Ghriskey,  and  the  assistant  in  cliemistry 
is  Dr.  H.  S.  Warwick. 

The  work  of  the  laboratory  and  its  staff  includes  teaching  of 
undergraduates,  instruction  of  post-graduates,  and  original  research. 
A  course  of  lectures  and  demonstrations  is  given  to  the  under- 
graduates in  the  arts  and  technological  departments  of  the  University 
and  a  more  extended  course  to  the  students  of  the  Medical  Department. 

Special  courses,  including  lectures  and  practical  laboratory  Avork, 
are  provided  in  ijractical  hygiene  with  reference  to  the  giving  a  certifi- 
cate of  qualification  to  perform  the  duties  of  a  health  oflflcer;  also  in 
bacteriology,  in  food  analysis,  etc. 

Advanced  original  research  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  causation  of 
disease  and  the  preservation  of  health  will  be  a  special  object  of  this 
institution.  The  Thomas  A.  Scott  fellowship  in  the  Institute  of  Hy- 
giene has  been  founded,  and  generously  endowed  by  Mrs.  Scott  with 
the  sum  of  $10,000,  the  income  from  which  is  to  be  used  to  pay  the  sal- 
ary of  the  fellowship. 


Chapter  XX. 
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ARCHAEOLOGY. 


The  study  of  the  natural  sciences  is  essentially  objective,  and  hence 
in  teaching-  them  it  is  indispensable  that  the  instructor  have  at  his 
command  collections  of  objects  to  illustrate  the  facts  and  princii)les  he 
brings  forward.  This  has  long  been  recognized  by  the  University,  and 
in  its  medical,  biological,  and  chemical  departments  it  has  gathered 
ample  stores  of  specimens  for  the  use  of  instructors  and  students.  It 
is  oidy  quite  recently,  however,  that  attention  has  been  directed  to  secur- 
ing objects  relating  to  ethnography,  archaeology,  and  palteontology. 

The  nucleus  of  this  museum  was  the  Assyrian  antiquities  obtained 
by  the  Babylonian  Exploring  Expedition,  which  are  fully  described  on 
another  page.  In  the  autumn  of  1889  it  was  decided  to  give  this 
feature  of  a  museum  of  illustrative  objects  the  prominence  merited  by 
its  importance,  and  to  organize  branches  including  the  whole  subject 
of  the  piist  of  the  race,  and  also  that  of  palaeontology.  A  large  room 
was  set  apart  for  this  purpose  in  the  main  building  of  the  University, 
a  portion  of  the  valuable  collection  of  Maxwell  Sommerville,  esq.,  was 
iiistalled  in  it,  and  the  branch  of  American  archseology  was  provided 
for  by  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Charles  C.  Abbott  as  curator. 

The  scope  of  the  collections  is  intended  to  embrace  not  only  the  re- 
gions thus  intimated,  but  to  take  in  the  whole  field  of  ethnography  and 
archaeology.  For  this  reason  its  officers  are  in  relation  to  the  Univer- 
sity Archaeological  Association  and  expect  to  obtain  rich  results  from 
the  Egyptian  and  Assyrian,  as  well  as  the  American  exploration  funds. 
Indeed,  already  an  abundant  harvest  of  valuable  specimens  has  been 
sent  in  by  these  various  bodies,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  brief  reference  to 
the  contents  of  the  cases  as  they  were  in  April,  1891,  only  sixteen 
months  after  the  organization  of  the  museum. 

AMERICAN   SECTION. 

In  the  Department  of  American  Archaeology  the  curator  has  aimed 
to  obtain  examples  of  the  weapons,  utensils,  domestic  implements,  orna- 
ments, objects  of  worship,  as  idols,  fetishes,  amulets,  etc.,  in  use  now  or 
in  other  ages  by  the  American  Indians  of  any  part  of  the  continent. 
Appreciating  how  much  more  valuable  are  objects  collected  by  officers 
of  the  museum  or  under  their  direction  than  those  of  which  the  history 
and  exact  locality  are  less  clearly  ascertained,  efforts  have  been  made  to 

377 


"378  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

build  lip  the  museum  as  miicli  as  practicable  by  original  explorations. 
These  have  been  prosecuted  in  the  valley  of  the  Delaware  and  at  vari- 
ous other  points  in  the  States  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  with 
gratifying  results. 

From  prehistoric  ash-pits  near  Trenton,  IS^.  J.,  have  been  derived 
large  numbers  of  bone  implements,  broken  or  worn  out,  that  had  been 
discarded,  rude  stone  implements,  fragments  of  pottery,  and  the  bones 
of  such  animals  as  were  used  for  food  or  other  i)urposes.  Tlie  deer 
bones  are  greatly  in  excess,  but  those  of  the  bear,  elk,  raccoon,  wolf, 
fox,  skunk,  beaver,  and  small  rodents  also  occur.  Also  bones  of  the 
sturgeon,  turtles,  and  various  fishes.  Unio  shells,  too,  proved  of  fre- 
quent occurrence.  Near  the  ash-pits,  in  several  instances  burials  were 
discovered  and  skeletons  exhumed.  The  crania  vary  considerably  in 
their  character,  but  all  are  essentially  "  Indian."  The  shell-heaps  along 
the  seacoast  of  New  Jersey  have  also  been  examined,  and  more  par- 
ticularly in  Atlantic  County,  and  much  valuable  material  obtained. 
From  the  celebrated  Flint  llidge  quarries  in  Licking  County,  Ohio, 
a  superb  series  of  stone  hammers,  from  the  largest  to  the  most  diminu- 
tive, masses  of  flint,  cones,  plates,  refuse  pieces,  and  finished  imi)le- 
ments,  as  spearheads,  arrow  points,  j>erforators,  vscrapers,  and  drills, 
have  been  obtained,  and,  collectively,  beautifully  illustrate  the  flint- 
chipping  industry  at  that  locality. 

A  number  of  additions  have  also  been  made,  owing  to  the  kindness  of 
fi'iends  of  the  institution,  who  have  either  given  or  de])osited  collections 
of  authentic  remains  from  difl'erent  points.  In  a  few  instances  imrchases 
have  been  eflfected  through  the  liberality  of  intelligent  citizens  when 
objects  of  especial  merit  have  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  curator. 
Thus  a  remarkable  collection  of  coi>per  imi>lemeiits  from  a  well-localized 
village  site  in  Wisconsin  was  bought  and  added  to  the  treasures  of 
the  museum.  It  is,  in  some  respects,  the  most  interesting  set  of  copper 
specimens  yet  obtained  within  the  area  of -the  United  States. 

In  the  arrangement  of  the  American  branch  of  the  museum  the  plan 
adopted  will  combine  as  far  as  possible  the  advantages  of  both  the 
technical  and  geographical  systems.  When  a  sufficient  number  of 
spef;imens  permit,  they  Avill  be  so  arranged  as  to  illustrate  in  one  series 
the  developments  of  the  arts  of  life,  and  in  another  to  portray  the  gen- 
eral condition  of  culture  of  the  tribe  from  whom  they  are  derived. 

Along  with  such  ol)jects  of  art,  the  effort  has  been  steadily  made  to 
secure  anthropologic  specimens,  such  as  crania,  skeletons,  photographs, 
and  measurements,  some  typical  skulls  from  graves  in  New  Jersey,  at- 
tributable to  the  Lenape  Indians,  are  among  objects  collected  by  officers 
of  the  museum  during  the  past  winter. 

By  the  Ist  of  April,  1891,  there  were  nearly  ten  thousand  entries  in 
the  American  department  of  the  museum,  representing  about  thirty 
thousand  objects,  besides  material  which  was  still  on  hand,  but  at  that 
date  not  entered  in  the  catalogue. 

In  this  list  the  United  States  was  represented  by  objects,  mostly  in 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OP    ARCHEOLOGY.  379 

stone,  from  tliirty-six  States  and  six  Territories;  others  were  from  Can- 
ada and  the  Westrindies;  while  the  Pacific  ishinds  are  fairly  represented 
by  specimens  from  Kew  Zealand,  the  Fijian  group,  the  Samoan  Islands, 
the  New  Hebrides,  the  Solomon  islands,  Torres  Strait,  and  Australia. 
From  Italy  and  Great  Britain  small  but  useful  prehistoric  series  have 
been  presented  by  local  friends  of  the  institution.  Several  boxes  of 
remains  from  the  Swiss  lake  dwellings,  and  others  illustrating  the 
bronze  age  in  central  Europe,  are  waiting  to  be  catalogued  and  dis- 
played on  the  shelves. 

EGYPTIAN   SECTION. 

The  Egyptian  section,  by  cooperating  with  the  Egypt  Exploration 
Fund  Association,  tlirough  whose  organized  eflfbrt  since  the  year  18S3 
many  important  sites  in  the  Delta  have  been  explored,  has  secured  for 
the  museum  a  number  of  objects  of  peculiar  interest. 

Not  less  important  is  the  collection  procured  through  Mr.  W.  Flinders 
Petrie,  which  contains  carefully  selected  series  of  representative  speci- 
mens found  by  himself  and  accurately  described  in  his  works. 

The  value  of  these  collections  is  not  oidy  derived  from  the  immense 
antiquity  of  the  civilization  which  they  represent,  but  is  due  i)rincipally 
to  the  light  thrown  by  them  upon  the  gradual  development  of  human 
culture  and  upon  the  share  which  the  civilizations  of  the  remote  i)ast 
have  had  in  preparing  the  evolution  of  our  own. 

These  are  not  mere  relics  of  a  bygone  age;  they  form  part  of  an  eth- 
nological series  in  which  ea(!li  object  has  a  well-defined  place,  and  illus- 
trates some  special  stage  in  the  development  of  human  arts  and  indus- 
tries or  suggests  some  hivStorical  vicissitude. 

The  men  intrusted  with  the  excavations  at  Pi-tum,  Zoan  Tanis,  Tell 
Dejenneh,  Tel  Nebesheh,  Naukratis,  Bubastis,  Gurob,  Kahun,  Hawara, 
etc.,  all  of  which  sites  are  represented  in  the  collection,  are  well  known 
men  of  science  who  have  conducted  the  work  in  a  thorough  and  schol- 
arly manner. 

Alive  to  the  requirements  of  modern  methods,  they  have  noted  every 
detail,  leaving  literally  no  stone  unturned  in  their  effort  to  establish  the 
history  of  every  object,  however  trifling,  which  has  been  recovered  by 
them. 

It  is  evident  that,  for  purposes  of  study,  a  small  collection  obtained 
under  such  conditions  is  immeasurably  more  usefiil  than  a  more  exten- 
sive one  picked  up  in  or  out  of  Egypt  by  dealers  or  travelers  and  the 
origin  of  which  is  often  unknown  and  generally  doubtful. 

There  is  here  no  room  for  deceit  of  any  kind.  We  not  only  know  the 
precise  locality  from  which  each  object  was  derived,  but  in  many  cases 
we  can  pick  out  on  a  plan  of  the  ruined  city  the  very  house  of  its  former 
owner,  and  even  occasionally  the  latter's  name  or  profession  are  known 
to  us. 

By  singular  good  fortune  Mr.  Petrie  has  been  able  to  identify  certain 


380  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

sites  the  historical  horizon  of  which  was  confined  within  narrow  limits, 
the  cities  whose  iiiius  these  mounds  inclose  having  thi'ough  some  politi- 
cal or  other  accident,  such  as  occur  in  the  annals  of  every  nation,  sprung 
into  importance  at  a  given  time,  and  then,  after  a  century  or  more,  the 
cause  of  their  fictitious  prosperity  being  removed,  having  sunk  back 
once  more  into  comparative  obscurity. 

The  objects  obtained  from  such  sites  are  invaluable  as  specimens  of 
the  state  of  culture  reached  at  a  given  period,  and  materially  help  to 
define  with  accuracy  the  stages  through  which  the  arts  and  industries, 
indeed  even  the  fashions,  passed  in  the  course  of  milleniums. 

A  collection  such  as  that  now  in  the  Egyptian  Department  of  the  mu- 
seum of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  may  therefore  be  considered,  as 
far  as  it  goes,  typical  of  what  a  museum  should  be  if  intended,  as  this  is, 
for  educational  purposes,  and  to  illustrate  the  studies  of  archaeology  and 
ethnology. 

Among  the  more  striking  numbers  of  the  collection  are  our  granite 
slabs,  once  part  of  the  wall  of  the  great  hall  of  festivals,  which  was 
added  by  King  Osorkon  II  to  the  Temple  of  Bubastis,  built  by  his  pre- 
decessor, Osorkon  I,  in  honor  of  the  eponymous  deity  of  the  place,  the 
cat-headed  Bast  (ab.  900  B.  C).  On  these  massive  blocks  of  syenite  are 
represented,  carved  in  intaglio,  sections  of  a  great  religious  procession 
organized  in  celebration  of  a  aO-years'  festival  of  Amen,  which  fell  in 
the  twenty-second  year  of  this  reign. 

These  and  the  companion  blocks,  now  distributed  in  various  museums 
of  Europe  and  America,  have  become  famous  throughout  the  learned 
world,  owing  not  only  to  the  light  thrown  upon  points  of  contemporary 
history  by  the  inscriptions  of  the  great  temple  of  which  they  formed  a 
part,  but  also  by  the  presence  in  the  procession  of  three  dwarf  chieftains 
walking  in  the  line,  each  of  whom  holds  a  staff  of  command  in  his  hand, 
and  who  are  introduced  by  Egyjitian  interpreters  as  "  chiefs."  This 
interesting  block  is  at  the  nniseum  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
as  well  as  one  giving  a  portrait  of  King  Osorkon  himself,  and  another 
representing  the  gods  Atumand  Shu  in  bold,  clear  intaglio. 

From  Illahun  (twelfth  dynasty,  about  2500  B.  C.)  is  a  very  fiiie 
statue  of  a  scribe,  and  a  number  of  fragments  of  pain  ted  limestone  bas- 
reliefs  of  exquisite  workmanship,  from  the  shrine  of  the  Princess  Nofer- 
Atum,  daughter  of  King  Usertesen  II. 

To  students  of  history,  however,  the  most  interesting  of  the  larger 
monuments  are  two  limestone  fragments  from  Gurob,  which  furnish  a 
si)ecimeu  of  Egyptian  art  towards  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  dynasty; 
i.  e.,  during  the  i)eriod  when  Asiatic  influence  is  shown  by  the  Tell  el 
Amarna  tablets  to  ha\  e  been  strongest  in  E?;ypt.  This  historical  fact 
may  easily  be  appreciated  by  a  careful  examination  of  these  pieces: 
One  is  a  fine  head  of  a  lioness,  treated  in  bold,  architectural  style,  and 
far  more  "alive"  than  is  usual  in  pure  Egyptian  art.  This  head  has 
Justly  been  thought  worthy  of  particular  mention  byMr.  Petrie  in  some 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    ARCHAEOLOGY.  381 

of  his  published  articles  on  the  subject  of  his  work.  The  other  monu- 
ment is  a  fraj?ment  of  a  limestone  bas-relief  of  the  time  of  Khunaten 
(Ameu-hotep  IV),  about  1450  B.  0.,  in  which  the  sun  disk  is  depicted 
in  true  Mesopotamian  stylo  as  a  rosette,  iVom  which  rays?  depend.  The 
whole  treatment  of  this  piece  of  sculpture  differs  from  the  conventional 
artistic  methods  of  other  Egyi)tian  epochs. 

The  industrial  arts  are  represented  by  small  but  absolutely  anthentic 
and  classified  series  of  objects  covering  a  vast  period  of  time.  Among 
these  a  series  of  copper  and  bronze  implements  from  the  twelfth  dynasty, 
about  2500  B.  C,  down  to  Ptolemaic  times  offers  an  opiwrtunity  lor  the 
accurate  testing  of  ancient  metals,  of  which  it  is  hoped  that  advantage 
will  be  taken. 

Similar  series  of  glass  and  porcelain-glaze  beads  cover  the  same 
period.  A  very  handsome  bowl  of  turquoise  blue  porcelain -glaze,  char- 
acteristic of  the  eighteenth  or  nineteenth  dynasty  (1050-1200  B.  C), 
decorated  with  a  border  of  lotus-buds  traced  in  dark  outline,  and  in 
the  center  with  a  free-drawn  representjition  of  a  girl  poling  a  boat  laden 
with  fowls — has  been  mentioned  by  Mr.  Petrio  in  one  of  his  articles  as 
a  fine  specimen  of  industrial  art. 

Tlie  series  of  pottery  is  very  interesting.  The  potsherds  from  Tel- 
Defenneh  and  Naukratis  are  more  than  usually  instructive.  These  sites 
were  Greek  settlements  founded  in  the  seventh  century  B.  C,  and 
Psammetichus  I.  established  at  Daphnae  the  camp  of  his  Ionian  and 
Carian  mercenary  troops.  Political  events  narrated  by  Herodotus 
closed  Dai)hnae  to  foreign  trade  about  one  century  after  the  Greek 
camp  had  attracted  Greek  colonists,  whilst  if  aukratis,  on  the  contrary, 
became  then  the  great  emporium  of  Egypt,  and  indeed  aecpiired  the 
monoply  of  Egyptian  commerce  with  the  Mediterraneau.  The  painted 
vases  of  Greek  and  mixed  forms  recovered  by  Mr.  Petrie  at  Daphnae 
can  therefore  be  assigned  an  exact  date  B.  C,  665-505,  and  it  is  inter- 
esting to  find  the  events  of  those  troublous  times  reflected,  as  it  were, 
upon  these  potsherds  in  the  various  decorative  designs  borrowed  from 
widely  different  sources,  and  in  the  adaptation  of  which  the  Greek 
artists  established  upon  EgJ^)tian  soil  exercised  their  ingenuity.  The 
contributions  of  Egypt  and  of  Mesopotamia,  treated  singly  orbleuded 
together  and  idealized  by  the  Greeks,  are  plainly  discernible,  and  the 
handsome  pottery  of  Naukratis  tells  a  similar  story  and  completes 
that  of  Daphnae;  it  takes  u])  the  thread  and  carries  it  down  to  our  era. 

The  sepulchral  series  is  also  well  rei)resented  by  sepidchral  amidets  and 
scarabs,  fine  ushabtis  of  various  periods — mummy  wrappings  inscribe.d 
with  chapters  of  the  Book  of  the  Dead,  and  mummy-cases  and  carttm- 
nages  of  different  epochs— among  these  a  fine  portrait-panel  of  a  woman 
of  Eoman  times,  painted  in  encaustic  and  found  at  Hawara,  is  still 
beautifully  fresh,  notwithstanding  the  1700  years  which  have  elapsed 
since  it  was  buried. 

-^A  valuable  collection  has  lately  been  presented  to  the  Museum  by 
Mrs.  E.  W.  Lehman.    It  was  gathered  together  in  1858  in  the  neighbor* 


382  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

hood  of  Ghizeli,  Sakkarah,  and  Karnak,  and  includes  not  only  mum- 
mified human  remains,  but  mummied  ibivses  and  crocodiles.  Several 
pieces  of  bread  from  food  oflerings  made  to  the  dead,  a  number  of  scar- 
abs, not  only  the  engraved  ones  used  by  the  Eg;yT)tians  as  amulets  or 
seals,  but  the  real  beetles  which  they  revered  as  a  symbol  of  immor- 
tality through  transformation. 

A  piece  of  the  "  petrified  woods,"  near  Cairo,  forms  also  an  interest- 
ing feature  of  this  collection,  of  which,  however,  the  gem  is  a  fragment 
of  a  fine  limestone  bas-relief  from  the  Serapaium  of  Memphis,  fresh  in 
color  and  of  excellent  workmanship,  representing  EgyiJtians  in  the  act 
of  poling  a  boat. 

Several  good  bronze  statuettes  of  gods  complete  what  is  certainly  a 
most  valuable  contribution  to  the  Egyj)tian  Department. 

ASSYRIAN  SECTION. 

The  Assyrian  collection  presents  a  large  variety  of  objects  collected 
in"  the  valley  of  the  Euj^hrates,  and  illustrating  the  ancient  civilization 
of  the  Babylonian  and  Assyrian  dynasties.  The  number  of  cuneiform 
tablets  is  large,  and  the  majority  of  them  have  not  yet  been  read,  thus 
offering  fresh  subjects  of  study  to  the  specialist  in  this  field.  The 
greater  number  of  them  appear  to  be  "  contract  tablets,"  but  all  deserve 
carefnl  transcription,  as  even  these  examples  of  ordinary  business  doc- 
uments frequently  offer  new  or  corroborative  forms  which  help  to  explain 
records  of  greater  imx)ortance. 

The  explorations  of  i«riffir,  which  have  been  carried  on  by  the  Assyrian 
Exploration  Commission  attached  to  the  University,  are  represented 
by  a  large  relief  of  that  ancient  site,  illustrating  the  character  and  ex- 
tent of  the  excavations  and  the  appearance  of  the  surrounding  country. 
The  extensive  collections  obtained  by  the  labors  of  this  commission  as 
conducted  under  the  efficient  administration  of  the  Eev.  John  P.Peters, 
will,  it  is  expected,  soon  be  added  to  this  portion  of  the  Museum,  which 
will  then  rival  any  of  its  scope  in  the  United  States. 

GLYPTIC    COLLECTION. 

The  collection  of  Maxwell  Sommerville,  esq.,  to  which  reference  has 
been  made,  merits  especial  attention  both  from  the  antiquary  and  the 
artist.  It  consists  of  a  number  of  amulets  drawn  from  all  ages  and  all 
parts  of  the  world  and  throwing  a  curious  light  on  the  rehgious  or 
superstitious  sentiments  of  many  peoples.  The  field  thus  eiiterM  is  a 
singularly  extensive  one,  the  belief  in  charms  or  "lucky  stones" 
belonging  to  the  earliest,  as  it  also  does  to  the  latest,  stadia  of  human 
culture.  It  is  frequently  seen  in  the  social  life  of  our  own  day  and  is 
quite  familiar  to  students  of  contemporary  folk  lore;  hence  the  peculiar 
value  of  tliis  collection. 

His  collection  includes  many  engraved  gems,  and  is  unique  from  the 
fact  that  it  has  one  peculiarly  interesting  feature  not  characterizing  mo^t 
known  glyptic  cabinets.    The  author  and  collector  has  arranged  his  speci- 


THE    DEPARTMENT    OF   ARCHEOLOGY.  3H3 

mens  in  an  order  classifying  all  the  epochs,  representing  the  qualities 
of  glyi)ti(;  execution  by  what  may  be  termed  a  geometrical  progression 
commencing  with  the  rudest  arid  earliest  known  examples  of  the  work 
of  incisori ;  the  sculptui'ed  scarabaei  of  the  Egyptians,  the  seals  and 
seal  cylinders  of  the  Babylonians  and  the  Assyrians,  the  exquisite  in- 
taglios and  cameos  of  the  first  and  purely  Greek  epoch,  the  Gra;co- 
Koman,  the  Romany  the  Abraxas  and  other  Gnostic  gems,  the  Chris- 
tian, the  Byzantine,  the  decline  in  gem-engraving  and  its  degeneracy 
in  the  Mediaeval  epoch,  the  first  Renaissance,  the  subsequent  decline, 
and  finally  the  wonderful  class  of  gem  artists  who  appeared  and  flour- 
ished in  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

Mr.  Sommerville's  collection  is  not  one  only  of  curious  engraved 
stones,  but,  being  thus  methodically  arranged,  represents  the  glyj)tic 
branch  of  art  industry  throughout  the  entire  history  of  the  world,  dis- 
l)laying  various  grades  of  civilization  always  exemplified  by  art  culture. 

It  contains  the  most  perfect  specimens  of  the  better  epochs  and  the 
greater  incisori,  charming  in  their  masterly  execution,  and  interesting 
from  their  beauty  and  the  sentiment  portrayed.  It  also  to  a  large  ex- 
tent represents  those  gems  rude  in  execution,  coarse  and  curious  in 
design,  embodying  the  grossest  superstition  of  ancient  times,  coupled 
with  a  mass  of  token  stones  representing  scenes  and  incidents  of  the 
events  of  the  Christian  epoch,  and  thereon  exhibiting  the  religious 
fervor  of  the  centuries  following  the  birth  and  acceptation  of  Christ,  and 
the  coeval  mysticisms  of  those  who  really  -knew  not  in  what  they 
believed. 

It  would  not  be  possible  in  this  connection  to  do  justice  to  this  admi- 
rable collection,  all  of  which  is  admirably  displayed  and  catalogued ; 
but  some  idea  of  its  riches  may  be  formed  from  the  fact  that  it  num- 
bers over  1,500  specimens,  many  of  them  equally  valuable  for  their 
material  as  for  the  work  which  is  upon  them.  Among  these  are  500 
Greek  and  Roman  cameos,  deftly  incised  on  chalcedony,  onyx,  jasper, 
sardonyx,  agate,  alabaster,  and  other  precious  stones;  there  are  more 
than  30  Assyrian  and  Babylonian  cylinders,  with  inscriptions  in  the 
characteristic  cuneiform  writing;  large  numbers  of  Persian,  Etruscan, 
Sassanian,  and  Byzantine  gems,  with,  mysterious  figures;  gold  and 
silver  rings,  bearing  hieratic  devices;  gems  of  the  Gnostics,  with  their 
occult  and  significant  devices;  Abraxas  from  the  early  centuries  of 
Christianity,  and  relics  of  niedijcval  superstition  impressetl  upon  objects 
of  pcrs'onal  adornment.  Added  to  these  are  many  curious  small  idols, 
the  liousehold  gods  of  various  nations,  especially  of  the  Hindoos  and 
Chinese. 

In  order  that  the  public  might  be  profited  as  much  as  possible  by 
these  interesting  collections,  a  system  of  afternoon  conferences  was 
inaugurated  during  the  winter,  for  Avhich  cards  were  distributed  to 
ghose  believed  to  be  appreciative  of  such  studies.  An  informal  lecture 
p-as  delivered  by  one  or  another  oflHcer  of  the  museum  and  the  meaning 

'  the  various  objects  i)oiuted  out  in  familiar  language. 


Chapter  XXI. 

THE  GRADUATE  DEPARTMENT  FOR  WOMEN. 

When  the  Academy  and  Charitable  School,  iu  the  Province  of  Penn- 
sylvania, was  founded  in  1751  by  Franklin  and  others,  the  Charitable 
►School  consisted  of  two  departments,  one  for  boys  and  the  other  for 
j?irls.  While  the  academy  grew  into  the  College  and  this  afterwards 
into  the  University,  the  continuous  corporation  steadily  maintained  the 
charitable  schools  until  June  5,  1877,  when  a  judicial  opinion  was 
given  that  under  the  modern  public  school  system  there  was  no  longer 
a  need  for  their  maintenance  and  that  the  obligations  of  the  trusts 
concerned  would  be  fully  met  by  the  liberal  policy  of  the  trustees  in 
the  matter  of  free  scholarships  for  deserving  young  men,  and  by  the 
free  admission  of  young  women  to  certain  lectures  in  the  college  de- 
partment. In  1879  Mrs.  Bloomfteld  H.  Moore  presented  to  the  Uni- 
versity as  a  memorial  to  her  deceased  husband  $10,000,  the  income  of 
which  was  to  be  used  to  enable  women  who  were  or  desired  to  become 
teachers,  not  exceeding  six  at  anyone  time,  to  avail  themselves  of 
such  courses  as  might  be  open  to  them  in  the  University.  At  that 
time  the  course  in  music  was  the  only  one  formally  open  to  them,  but 
without  definite  system  a  few  were  permitted  to  attend  certain  lectures 
and  work  in  some  of  the  laboratories  without  being  matriculated  as 
regular  or  special  students.  At  various  times  within  the  last  fifteen 
years  vigorous  efforts  were  made  to  secure  the  admission  of  Momen  to 
the  undergraduate  courses  on  the  same  footing  as  men,  and  the  subject 
was  brought  before  the  college  faculty  and  the  trustees  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  demand  careful  consideration  and  decision.  At  one  time 
the  faculty  by  a  bare  majority  favored  the  so-called  coeducational 
movement,  but  the  trustees,  the  ultimate  authority,  after  the  most 
careful  consideration  decided  that  the  undergraduate  courses  could 
not  be  opened  to  women  until  endowments  and  equijiments  were  pro- 
vided for  a  sej)arate  college.  Just  at  this  time  the  que!5tion  took  a 
new  form  through  the  opportune  generosity  of  Col.  Joseph  M.  Bennett, 
M'ho  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  provost: 

1112  GiRARD  Street. 
To  WiLiJAM  Pepper,  M.  D., 

Provoft  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania: 
Dear  Sir:  I  hereby  donate  to  the  trustees  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  the 
two  adjoining  properties  on  the  southeast  comer  of  Thirty-fourth  and  Walnut 
streets,  clear  of  incambiances,  to  be  occjipied  for  the  purpose  of  a  college  for  woipeni 
384 


THE    GRADUATE    DEPARTMENT    OF    WOMEN.  385 

in  connection  with  said  University,  said  college  to  be  under  the  direction  of  a  Board 
of  Managers  to  be  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

I  do  this  because  I  am  desirous  of  promoting  the  higher  education  of  women,  and 
yet  recognise  the  difficulties  connected  with  complete  coeducation. 
Yours,  truly, 

Jos.  M.  Bennett. 

November  2,  1889. 

These  two  properties,  easily  converted  into  one  capacious  hall  of 
residence,  are  worth  some  $30,000,  and  the  trustees  at  once  saw  that 
there  was  an  opportunity  of  work  for  women  of  a  character  entirely 
within  the  policy  and  resources  of  the  University.  The  Faculty  of 
Philosophy  had  by  this  time  developed  its  lines  of  university  as  dis- 
tinguished from  college  studies,  and  was  prepared  to  oflPer  an  unusually 
large  choice  of  graduate  studies  leading  to  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Philosophy.  The  obstructions  and  difficulties  which  beset  the  admis- 
sion of  women  to  the  undergraduate  courses  did  not  obtain  here.  The 
opportunities  for  undergraduate  studies  elsewhere  were  quite  ample 
for  the  local  demand,  while  the  facilities  and  opportunities  here  oft'ered 
were  but  rarely  attainable.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  establish  a 
Post-graduate  Department  for  Women,  to  be  opened  so  soon  as  eight 
fellowships  should  be  open  to  students  and  sufficient  progress  made 
in  securing  an  endowment.  In  1890  an  organization  was  effected  on 
a  plan  which  has  been  found  useful  in  several  other  departments  ot 
the  University;  that  is,  of  enlisting  in  the  work  earnest  men  and 
women  who  are  not  of  the  body  corporate,  but  to  whom  as  managers  a 
large  authority  is  delegated  for  the  practical  government  of  the  depart- 
ment. A  board  of  managers  was  created,  of  whom  seven  are  trustees 
of  the  University,  one  the  dean  of  the  department,  and  eleven  women 
of  recognized  force  and  ability  who  are  deeply  interested  in  the  higher 
education  of  their  sex.  The  provost  is,  as  always,  the  president  of 
this  board.  One  of  the  managers.  Miss  Ida  Wood,  was  made  secretary, 
and  practically  the  executive  officer  of  the  department. 

By  order  of  the  trustees,  the  Faculty  of  Philosophy  was  assigned  to 
the  deijartment  as  its  faculty,  and  thus  the  whole  scope  of  post-graduate 
instruction  afforded  by  the  University,  and  comj^lete  eligibility  to  the 
degrees  of  Master  of  Arts,  Master  of  Science,  or  Doctor  of  I'hilosophy 
were  thrown  open  to  the  students  of  this  department  on  precisely  the 
same  terms  as  to  men  in  the  Department  of  Philosophy.  To  be  a  can- 
didate for  either  of  these  degrees,  the  student  must  be  a  baccalaureate 
graduate,  either  in  Arts,  or  Science,  of  an  American  College  whose  de- 
grees are  accepted  by  the  University  as  equivalent  to  its  own,  or  must 
satisfy  a  committee  of  the  faculty,  by  examination  or  otherwise,  that 
she  possesses  an  equivelent  preparation  for  the  advanced  work  of  the 
department.  At  least  two  years  must  be  spent  in  graduate  studies, 
one  of  which  must  be  in  residence  at  this  University,  but  the  work  is 
such  that  generally  a  longer  period  than  two  years  will  be  required  to 
prepare  for  the  examinations  in  three  subjects  which  are  necessary  to 
1180 25 


386  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

obtaining  a  degree.  Special  students,  who  are  not  candidates  for  a 
degree,  are  admitted  and  allowed  to  pursue  such  courses  as  may  be 
approved  by  the  faculty  j  and  elementary  instruction  is  given  in  those 
branches  which  are  either  not  included  or  inadequately  treated  in  the 
usual  undergraduate  courses  of  American  colleges. 

A  reference  to  the  chapter  in  this  volume  on  the  Department  of 
Philosophy  will  enable  the  reader  to -see  what  an  extensive  curriculum 
of  advanced  studies  is  open  to  the  students  of  this  department.  The 
hall  for  women  is  an  admirable  residence,  with  every  homelike  feature. 
It  has  been  comfortably  and  even  handsouiely  furnished,  through  the 
zealous  efforts  of  the  wouien  managers.  Col.  Bennett  has  supplemented 
his  original  generous  gift  by  the  further  donation  of  $15,000  for  en- 
dowment, Provost  Pepper  has  endowed  one  fellowshij)  to  be  called  the 
Frances  Sergeant  Pepper  Fellowshii),  and  other  generous  donors  have 
made  it  possible  to  offer  eight  fellowships,  which  entitle  the  holder  to 
all  the  privileges  of  tuition  and  residence.  Unremitting  efforts  are 
being  made  to  increase  the  endowment  to  a  sum  adequate  to  the  full 
needs  of  the  department,  and  it  is  hoped  that  in  a  very  few  years  it 
will  be  placed  on  such  a  footing  as  to  enable  it  to  meet,  in  the  most 
liberal  way,  the  increasing  demand  for  the  higher  education  of  women. 
The  women's  hall  was  opened  with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  May 
4, 1892.  Addresses  were  made  by  the  venerable  William  H.  Furness, 
D.  D. ;  by  President  James  MacAlister,  ll.  d.,  of  the  Drexel  Institute ; 
by  Dean  M.  Carey  Thomas,  ph.  d.,  of  Bryan  Mawr  College,  and  by 
Provost  William  Pepper.  The  large  and  representative  audience 
which  listened  to  these  addresses  gave  evidence  of  the  deep  interest 
taken  by  the  community  in  this  latest  extension  of  the  work  of  the 
University,  and  gave  assurance  to  the  trustees  and  managers  that  their 
conservative,  and  yet  broad  and  progressive,  policy  would  meet  with  a 
full  measure  of  public  approval  and  support. 


"wrs 


Chapter  XXII. 
THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES. 


The  beginnings  of  the  University  library  date  back  to  the  beginnings 
of  the  University  itself,  and  its  growth  has  steadily  followe<l  the  un- 
folding of  the  institution.  At  the  very  first  recorded  meeting  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  the  subject  was  introduced,  and 
shortly  thereafter,  a  sum  of  £100  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  a  commit- 
tee, of  which  Benjamin  Franklin  was  chairman,  to  be  expended  in  the 
purchase  of  "Latin  and  Greek  authors,  maps,  drafts,  and  instruments." 
At  the  same  time  a  general  appeal  was  issued  for  gifts  of  books,  which 
met  with  a  hearty  response.  The  first  gifts  recorded  are  those  of  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  and  Lewis  Evans,  in  1750.  During  the  following  years 
several  further  grants  for  the  library  were  made  by  the  trustees,  and 
by  the  year  1774  the  library  had  grown  to  sufficient  dimensions  to  war- 
rant the  faculty  in  making  a  request  of  the  trustees  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  librarian.  It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  this  was  done 
until  1791.  The  income  of  the  library  during  all  this  time  and  long 
afterwards  was  a  very  uncertain  one.  There  was  no  special  endow- 
ment fund,  and  outside  of  the  special  appropriations  made  from  time  to 
time  as  the  urgent  needs  of  the  institution  dictated,  and  •gifts,  there 
was  only  the  bachelor's  fee  of  los.  and  the  master's  fee  of  £1  (after- 
wards reduced  to  15s.),  to  depend  upon,  which  by  resolution  of  the  trus- 
tees, in  1757,  was  set  aside  for  the  benefit  of  the  library.  To  tlus  in 
1768  there  was  added  a  tax  of  $1,  levied  on  medical  students  for  the  use 
of  the  library.  Mention  perhaps  should  also  be  made  of  a  fine  of  1«.  im- 
posed upon  trustees  absent  from  the  meeting,  to  be  used  in  the  pur- 
chase of  "books  and  paper"  for  scholars  in  the  Charity  School;  but 
although  there  is  an  actual  record  on  May  25,  1754,  of  such  a  fine 
having  been  paid,  and  which  was  duly  expended  in  "  paper,  quills,  and 
books,"  the  law  was  presumably  more  honored  in  the  breach  than  in 
the  observance.  In  1784  the  library  received  a  notable  gift  from  "  His 
most  Christian  Majesty"  Louis  XVI,  who,  at  the  instance  of  the  Compte 
BeVergennes  and  the  Marquis  de  Chastelux,  forwarded  to  the  Univer- 
sity 100  volumes  of  miscellaneous  scientific  and  literary  works,  for  the 


'  I  wish  to  acknowledge  my  indebteduess  to  Mr.  Gregor>-  P.  Keen,  librarian  of  the 
University,  who  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal  most  of  the  material  for  thia  article, 
which  he  had  been  at  pains  to  gather  from  the  records  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

387 


388  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

most  part  in  French.  By  1786  the  library  apjieared  to  have  grown  suflfi- 
ciently  to  warrant  the  i)reparation  of  a  catalogue,  of  which  two  copies 
were  ordered  to  be  furnished,  one  for  the  faculty  and  students,  and  the 
other  to  be  kept  by  the  secretary  of  the  board.  If  we  add  that  in 
1788  Francis  Gladwin,  esq.,  residing  in  the  East  Indies,  presented  to 
the  library  its  first  volumes  on  Oriental  literature  and  philology,  we 
shall  have  exhausted  the  account  of  the  very  humble  beginnings  of  the 
University's  collections. 

The  second  period  in  the  history  of  the  library  begins  with  the  year 
1791  when  the  amalgamation  of  the  College  with  the  University  (or- 
ganized in  1779)  took  pla^'e.  The  new  institution  soon  took  advantage 
of  the  State  patronage  under  which  it  was  placed  to  petition  the  legis- 
lature for  an  appropriation  to  enlarge  the  "  library  and  the  philosophical 
apparatus."  In  1792  an  address  to  that  effect  was  presented  to  the 
house  of  representatives  who  referred  it  to  a  "  grand  committee  "  with 
which  action  the  measure  is  lost  sight  of,  so  far  as. the  University  is 
concerned,  and  judging  from  the  fact  that  in  1809  the  trustees  made 
an  appropriation  of  $600  for  the  library,  it  would  seem  that  the  hope 
of  receiving  State  aid  was  abandoned. 

In  1811,  under  the  new  rules  and  statutes,  which  are  an  indication 
of  the  University's  steady  growth,  provision  was  made  among  the 
standing  committees  for  a  library  committee  of  two,  to  whom  was 
intrusted  also  the  philosophical  apparatus  of  the  institution.  The 
number  was  subsequently  (in  1818)  increased  to  three,  but  there  is  an 
almost  constant  vacillation  between  three  and  four  members  until  in 
1855,  it  was,  by  resolution,  fixed  at  five.  A  few  years  later  the  Uni- 
versity received  by  bequest  the  books  of  Dr.  McDowell  (provost 
from  1807  to  1810),  and  an  important  step  in  advance  was  taken  in  1822 
when,  in  addition  to  the  further  appropriations  for  the  purchase  of  books 
and  apparatus,  it  was  decided  hereafter  to  grant  such  annual  amounts 
as  the  funds  of  the  University  may  warrant  for  enlarging  the  library. 
The  library  committee  was  also  instructed  to  adopt  such  measures  as 
they  deemed  expedient  to  invite  and  encourage  donations  of  books,  and 
at  the  same  time  initiatory  action  was  taken  looking  to  the  publication 
of  a  catalogue.  Several  years,  however,  passed  before  the  project  was 
carried  out,  and  it  was  not  until  1829  that  the  catalogue,  preparer!  under 
the  direction  of  S.  Peter  Duponceau,  a  member  of  the  library  committee, 
with  the  aid  of  a  "foreign  gentleman,"  whose  name  does  not  appear  on 
the  records,  at  length  appeared.  Meanwhile,  the  number  of  books  had 
increased  steadily  through  purchases  regularly  made  as  well  as  through 
donations,  though  judging  from  the  statement,  which  was  apparently  re- 
garded as  somewhat  extraordinary,  that  in  1824  105  volumes  had  been 
added  to  the  shelves,  the  growth  would  be  regarded  as  almost  painfully 
slow  at  the  present  time.  Notable  among  the  donations  at  this  period 
was  a  comjjlete  set  of  Waite's  State  Papers  from  the  Department  of 
State. 


THE   UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES.  389 

In  the  beginning  of  1832  the  number  of  vohiines  reported  to  be  in  the 
library  was  1,()70.  During  tlie  following  twenty  years  nothing  of  any 
note  occurred.  ,  Donations  of  books,  more  especially  of  ofticial  docu- 
ments, were  received  in  larger  numbers  than  before,  and  by  the  year 
1855  the  ueed  of  appointing  a  special  librarian  ma<le  itself  felt.  For 
some  time  past  the  books  had  been  in  the  charge  of  the  provost,  but 
in  the  year  mentioned  the  care  of  them  was  transferred  to  the  profe.ssor 
of  belles-lettres  and  the  English  language  and  literature.  On  May  1, 
1855,  Mr.  Henry  Gopp6e  was  elected  to  that  chair,  an<l  a^-cordingly 
became  librarian  of  the  University.  In  1859-'G0,  several  appropriations 
larger  than  heretofore  were  made  for  the  increase  of  the  library  and  it 
is  in  the  latter  year  that  we  find  the  first  mention  of  the  Dei)artment 
of  Law  in  connection  with  the  library.  A  special  room  was  set  aside 
for  this  department  and  the  books  belonging  to  it  placed  under  the 
charge  of  an  assistant  librarian.  The  regular  appointment  of  librarians 
we  may  conveniently  indicate  as  a  further  dividing  line  which  marks 
the  close  of  the  second  and  the  beginning  of  the  tliird  ])eriod  in  the 
history  of  the  library.  In  1866,  Professor  Coppee  resigned  his  connec- 
tion with  the  University  and  Dr.  Charles  J.  Stille  was  elected  to  his 
chair  and  assumed  the  duties  of  librarian,  in  Avhich  he  was  aided  and^ 
succeeded  by  Prof.  Robert  Ellis  Thompson. 

On  the  remov*al  of  the  University  to  West  Philadelphia  begins  the 
series  of  special  collections  donated  or  purchased  which  now  form  the 
feature  of  the  University's  collections.  The  series  is  opened  by  the 
Wetherill  Library,  consisting  of  works  on  chemistry,  collected  by 
Prof.  C.  M.  Wetherill  and  presented  in  1871,  after  Prof.  Wetherill'a 
death,  by  his  tvidow.  The  same  year  the  Evans  Kogers  Library  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  works  on  engineering  and  anhitecture  was  founded 
by  Mr.  Fairman  Rogers,  who  donated  the  sum  of  .*  10,000  for  the  pur- 
chase. Since  then,  Mr.  Rogers  has  steadily  added  to  the  collection, 
particularly  scientific  jjeriodicals. 

In  1877  a  catalogue  of  the  Rogers  Library  was  prepared  and  pub- 
lished by  Dr.  H.  Haupt,.jr.,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  library  at  that 
time  numbered  some  1,500  volumes,  and  to-day  its  extent  is  estimated 
at  about  5,000  volumes.  v 

In  1873  the  trustees  added  $2,000  to  a  sum  of  $3,000  contiibuted  by 
Mends  of  the  University  for  the  purchase  of  the  classical  library  of  the 
late  Prof.  George  Allen,  professor  of  Greek  and  Latin  at  the  University 
from  1845  till  his  death,  in  1876.  The  library  contained  about  5,000 
volumes,  and  while  the  bulk  bore  on  classical  literature,  there  were  also 
works  in  it  on  military  science  and  English  literature,  more  particularly 
Shakespearean.  In  addition  to  this,  $5,500  were  appropriated  by  the 
trustees  for  the  divisions  of  history  and  English  literature  in  the  library, 
and  $200  was  set  aside  for  German  and  French  books. 

In  1874  the  library  received  its  fir^t  endowment  fund  through  Miss 
Elizabeth  Rhoads,  who  presented  the  sum  of  $10,000,  the  income  of 


390  THE   UNIVEiiBITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

wliicli  was  to  be  expended  and  tlie  fund  to  be  known  as  tlie  "Tobias 
Wagner  Library  Fund."  The  year  was  a  most  prosperous  one  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  library,  for  in  addition  to  these  it  received  two  smaller  gift*, 
one  of  354  volumes  on  Roman,  French,  and  Scotch  civil  law,  from  Dr.  li.  E. 
Peterson,  from  the  library  of  his  father-in-law,  the  late  Judge  Bouvier; 
the  other,  of  238  volumes  on  Italian,  German,  and  French  literature,  from 
Dr.  Alfred  Stille ;  and  the  latter  in  the  same  year  announced  his  intention 
to  present  his  extensive  medical  library  to  the  University,  and  after  suit- 
able provision  had  been  made  for  the  accommodation  of  the  books  in 
Medical  Hall,  the  gift  was  accepted.  The  library  (now  placed  in  the 
new  library  building)  embraces  about  12,000  works  and  pamphlets 
on  medical  subjects.  It  is  particularly  valuable  for  the  numerous  sets 
it  contains  of  the  proceedings  of  medical  societies,  as  well  as  medical 
journals  in  this  country,  England,  and  France.  As  an  item  of  in- 
terest it  may  be  noted  that,  upon  the  close  of  the  Centennial  Expo- 
sition (in  187G),  the  University  received  some  valuable  books  and  arti- 
cles from  foreign  exhibitors.  Germany  was  represented  in  this  gift  by 
the  great  publisher  Tauchnitz,  who  presented  editions  of  classical 
writers  and  other  books.  Chile  gave  a  large  collection  of  books  used 
in  the  schools  of  the  country,  as  well  as  various  literary  and  scientitic 
works  published  there,  and  among  other  countries  participating  we  find 
Holland,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  Spain,  and  Cuba. 

In  1870  the  University  received  by  gift  from  the  family  Mr.  Stephen 
Colwell's  library  on  social  science,  a  collection  that  has  been  described 
as  "  unique  in  its  range  and  completeness."  Mr.  Colwell,  a  resident 
of  Philadelphia,  had  been  engaged  for  many  years  in  forming  his 
collection  and  paid  particular  attention  toward  gathering  the  small 
pamphlets  that  a.  few  years  after  their  appearance  are  generally  so 
difficult  to  obtain.  In  addition  to  English  works  Mr.  Colwell  also  collected 
French  and  Italian  publications  iii  large  numbers.  In  all,  the  library 
consisted  of  between  9,000  and  10,000  books  and  pamphlets,  but  large 
as  this  number  is,  the  value  of  the  collection  in  the  opinion  of  experts 
far  outranks  its  numerical  proportions. 

A  supplement  to  the  Colwell  library  is  the  valuable  collection  of  books 
and  pamphlets  on  Political  Economy  bequeathed  by  Henry  C.  Carey, 
and  which  came  into  the  possession  of  the  University  in  1879.  It  con- 
sisted of  1,415  bound  volumes,  representing  about  4,000  distinct  works. 
A  noteworthy  feature  of  the  collection  is  a  series  of  English  pamphlets 
on  political  economy  to  the  number  of  3,000,  bound  in  chronological  or- 
der and  covering  the  period  from  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century 
to  the  present  time.  Since  the  receipt  of  the  Colwell  and  Carey  libraries 
extensive  additions  by  purchase  and  gift  have  been  made  to  the  library 
of  economic  science,  more  esi>eciully  upon  the  establishment  of  the 
Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Political  Economy  in  1881,  and  in  1889 
Mr.  Joseph  Wharton  ])reseiited  an  endowment  fund  of  $25,000  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  library  of  the  school  founded  by  him. 


THE    UNIVERSITY    LIHRARIES.  391 

In  1883  the  HcTiry  Seybert  Library  of  Spiritualism  and  cognate  sub- 
jects was  established,  which  since  that  time  has  been  steadily  increased 
out  of  the  fund  specially  bequeathed  for  the  investigation  of  Spirit 
ualism.    The  collection  now  numbers  about  1,000  volumes. 

In  1887,  upou  the  death  of  Rev.  Charles  P.  Krautb,  d.  d.,  vice-provost 
and  professor  of  intellectual  and  moral  philosophy  at  the  University, 
the  Society  of  the  Alumni  of  the  College  Department  presented  a  Krauth 
memorial  fund  for  the  purchase  of  books  on  philosophy. 

The  same  year  brought  to  the  university  a  collection,  presented  by 
D.  B.  McCartee,  m.  d.,  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  literature  to  the  num- 
ber of  about  1,000  volumes,  as  well  as  several  hundred  European 
publications  concerning  the  history  and  literature  of  China  and  Japan. 
Still  another  collection  of  a  miscellaneous  character  was  presented  the 
same  year  by  Maj.  Gen.  Samuel  Wylie  Crawford,  who  has  since  then 
made  further  additions  to  the  library. 

In  1887  the  philological  library  of  the  late  Prof.  F.  A.  Pott,  of  Halle, 
was  secured  through  the  efforts  of  the  late  Prof.  J.  G.  R.  McElroy.  It 
contains  about  4,000  works  and  is  rich  in  works  of  general  philology, 
the  study  and  history  of  language,  the  alphabet,  comparative  gram- 
mars and  dictionaries,  treatises  on  a  large  number  of  languages  and 
dialects,  as  well  as  publications  of  the  learned  societies  of  Germany, 
France,  Austria,  and  Russia. 

In  the  same  year  the  collection  of  the  Semitic  library  was  begun  by 
the  i)urchase  of  an  Assyriological  collection,  supplemented  thefollowiug 
year  by  a  large  Arabic  collection,  and  of  a  collection  on  Semitic  epi- 
graphy, besides  portions  of  a  library  on  the  Hebrew  language  and  ou 
Old  Testament  criticism.    . 

In  1888  Mrs.  Hayden  presented  the  library  of  her  husband,  the  late 
Prof.  F.  V.  Hayden,  M.  D.,  consisting  of  works  on  geology,  paleontol- 
ogy, zoology,  and  botany. 

The  same  year  Mr.  George  W.  Biddle  and  family  founded,  in  memory 
of  the  late  George  Biddle,  the  Biddle  Law  Library.  Its  chief  feature 
is  the  collection  of  the  late  Benjamin  Harris  Brewster,  which,  with  its 
noted  collection  of  American,  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  reports,  num- 
bers over  5,000  volumes.  The  fouudation  also  provides  for  the  per- 
manent increase  of  the  library. 

In  1889  the  classical  library  of  the  late  Prof.  Ernst  von  Lentsch,  of 
Gottingen,  consisting  of  about  20,000  volumes,  was  purchased. 
Among  its  features  may  be  mentioned  the  18  sets  of  the  leading  phi- 
lological journals  of  Europe,  and  the  more  than  4,000  pamphlets,  em 
bodying  the  graduating  theses  of  German  university  students  and  th*' 
annual  Programmschriften,  published  by  the  universities  and  gym- 
nasia of  Germany  during  the  past  fifty  years.  These  publications, 
whicli  Prof.  Lentsch  received  in  his  capacity  as  editor  of  the  Philologus. 
have  for  the  most  part  disappeared  from  the  book  market,  and  form 
a  collection  that  is  probably  unique  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.    Spe- 


392  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

cial  mention  might  also  be  made  of  the  numerous  works  on  the  history 
of  German  universities,  as  well  as  the  memorial  publications  issued  by 
the  latter  on  special  occasions. 

During  this  year  also  was  begun  the  collection  of  Congressional  and 
State  documents,  as  well  as  general  works  and  pamphlets  for  the 
newly-formed  School  of  American  History  and  Institutions  at  the 
University.  The  school,  which  is  the  first  of  the  kind  established  in 
this  country,  already  possesses,  in  consequence  of  energetic  eftbrts  on 
the  part  of  its  promoters,  a  library  of  more  than  13,000  volumes. 
Among  the  features  of  the  collection  are  a  c<toplete  set  of  Congres- 
sional documents,  the  only  one  of  the  kind  outside  of  the  British 
Museum,  records  of  State  legislatures,  complete  for  many  of  the  States, 
reports  of  State  agricultural  and  other  commissions,  American  state 
papers,  collections  of  periodicals,  besides  general  apd  special  works  on 
American  history. 

At  this  time  Provost  William  Pepper  presented  the  medical  library  of 
the  late  Prof.  William  Pepper,  very  largely  augmented  by  himself,  to- 
gether with  an  endowment  of  $7,500  for  its  perpetual  increase,  as  a 
memorial  of  his  distinguished  father  whose  name  it  bears. 

In  1890  Frederick  Prime,  jr.,  presented  a  valuable  collection  of  works 
on  mining  engineering  and  electricity. 

The  library  also  received  by  gift  a  considerable  addition  to  its  depart- 
ment of  German  philology  and  literature;  and  the  same  year  the  geo 
logical  library  of  the  late  IJr.  Charles  A.  Ashbumer  was  presented  by 
his  widow. 

In  1891  was  added  the  scientific  library  of  the  eminent  Joseph  Leidy; 
also,  besides  gifts  of  smaller  collections,  a  choice  library  of  Chinese  and 
Oriental  literature  collected  by  Richard  Ashhurst  Bowie,  and  presented 
by  his  son,  Richard  Henry  Bayard  Bowie;  and,  lastly,  the  Thomas 
H.  Powers  library  of  chemistry  was  endowed  by  his  widow  aud  daugh- 
ter, the  J.  B.  Lippincott  Library  of  English  Literature  was  founded  by 
Mrs.  Lippincott,  the  George  H.  Harrison  alcove  endowed  by  members 
of  his  family,  and  the  Isaac  Norris  Library  by  Mrs.  Cochran,  in  memory 
of  the  citizens  whose  names  they  bear. 

During  the  year  1892  large  additions  were  made  to  the  library  of 
psychology,  and  among  other  gifts  received  that  of  a  valuable  miscel- 
laneous collection  from  Joseph  S.  Harris.  The  choice  library  of  the 
late  Dr.  Philip  Syng  Physick  was  presented  by  members  of  his  family; 
besides  the  medical  library  of  the  late  Dr.  Physick  the  collection  in- 
cluded an  interesting  series  of  works  on  the  institution  and  history  of 
slavery  collected  by  his  grandson,  Dr.  Philip  Physick  Randolph. 

Such  is  a  survey  embodying  the  essential  features  of  the  special 
collections  added  to  the  library  during  the  third  period  of  its  existence. 
Resuming  the  threatl  of  its  history,  it  but  remains  to  mention  before 
passing  on  to  the  fourth  and  latest  period  that  in  1884  Prof.  Thompson 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  James  G.  BarnweU  as  librarian,  who  held  the 


THE    UNIVERSITY    LIBRARIES.  393 

office  until  his  election  as  librarian  of  the  Philadelphia  Library  in 
1887,  when  his  successor,  the  present  librarian,  Mr.  Gregory  B.  Keen, 
was  xjhosen. 

In  1888  Dr.  Morris  Jastrow,  jr.,  was  elected  assistant  librarian.  In 
1887  the  prospect  of  erecting  a  suitable  and  special  building  for  the 
library,  which  had  long  since  outgrown  its  totally  inadequate  quar- 
ters, was  seriously  undertaken;  so  that  with  Mr.  Keen's  entrance 
upon  his  duties  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  library  may  properly 
be  reckoned.  The  following  year  saw  the  corner  stone  laid  with  the 
rites  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  on  February  7,  1891,  the  building 
was  formally  dedicated  in  the  presence  of  a  large  and  distinguished 
assemblage,  Dr.  Horace  Howard  Furness,  as  chairman  of  the  building 
committee,  handing  over  the  building  to  the  provost.  Dr.  William  Pep- 
per, who  in  receiving  it  on  behalf  of  the  University  made  the  impor- 
tant announcement  of  the  intention  to  open  the  library  to  the  public  in 
general.  The  library  thus  safely  launched  upon  a  career  of  widened 
usefulness  may  be  taken  as  an  index  of  the  general  plane  reached  by 
the  University.  As  in  the  past  its  fortunes  have  ever  been  closely 
bound  up  with  the  growth  of  the  various  departments  of  the  Univer- 
sity, so  it  may  fairly  be  expected  that  in  the  future  it  will  keep  pace 
witli  the  rapid  unfolding  of  numerous  projects  that  are  tending  to 
produce  a  new  ideal  of  the  University,  commensurate  with  the  changed 
conditiops  of  intellectual  life. 

It  will  be  appropriate  to  close  this  sketch  with  a  description  of  the 
new  library  building  which  in  many  of  its  features  is  unique  and  repre- 
sents in  the  adaptation  of  means  to  ends  the  accumulated  experience 
of  the  past. 

The  new  library  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  which  was  for- 
mally opened  on  February  7,  is  an  imposing  structure  of  red  brick  and 
stone,  the  effect  of  which  is  heightened  by  its  advantageous  position 
in  the  complex  of  university  buildings  at  the  intersection  of  Woodland 
avenue  and  Thirty  fourth  street.  The  architects  are  Messrs.  Furness, 
Evans  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia.' 

The  building  may  be  divided  into  two  parts :  the  tower  95  feet  high, 
with  the  extension  in  amphitheatrical  form,  in  all  140  by  80  feet  on  the 
one  side ;  and  the  glass-covered  stack  32  by  110  feet,  on  the  other.  Pass- 
ing through  the  handsome  entrance  at  the  center  we  come  into  the 
spacious  hall,  to  the  right  of  which  is  the  wardrobe,  while  to  the  left 
the  space  under  the  imposing  staircase  has  been  temporarily  fitted  up  as 
a  museum  for  Egyptian  antiquities.  Crossing  the  hall  we  enter  the  main 
reading  room,  again  divided  into  two  sections,  the  one  40  by  42  feet  is 
an  unintenupted  space  to  the  roof,  a  height  of  about  00  feet;  the  other 
an  extension  in  semicircular  form,  40  by  54  feet,  terminating  in  six 
alcoves  12  by  18  feet.    In  addition  to  these,  there  is  a  larger  alcove  at 


'This  description  is  reprinted  (with  slight  modifications),  through  kind  penuission 
of  Messrs.  Harper  &  Bro.,  from  an  article  prepared  by  the  writer  for  Harper's  Weekly 
of  February  14,  1891. 


394  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA.       '  ' 

the  side  lighted  by  windows.  The  walls  of  the  reading  room  are 
finished  in  brick,  relieved  by  numerous  terra-cotta  pillars  and  arched 
windows.  Two  archways,  supported  by  columns,  separate  the  front  of 
the  reading  room  fiom  the  back,  which  is  set  aside  more  particularly 
for  the  students,  while  the  alcoves  are  devoted  to  periodicals,  seminary 
purposes,  and  private  work. 

A  feature  of  these  alcoves  is  the  strong  light  which  is  let  in  through 
a  skylight.  The  smaller  reading  room  receives  its  light  from  the  semi 
circular  row  of  windows  at  a  height  of  about  20  feet,  while  in  the  larger 
room  ample  provision  for  light  is  made  by  a  row  of  windows  on  one 
side  and  a  large  skylight  in  the  center.  At  the  one  end,  and  immedi- 
ately adjoining  the  entrance  to  the  reading  room,  is  the  receiving  desk, 
from  which  there  is  the  entrance  to  the  book  stacks  immediately  be 
hind,  while  further  to  the  left  is  situated  the  librarian's  oflQce,  a  cosy 
little  apartment  that  again  communicates  with  the  cataloguing  room ; 
the  latter,  16  by  60  feet,  is  in  reality  an  extension  beyond  the  reading  room 
an  d ,  like  the  alcoves,  it  receives  its  light  from  the  top.  The  separation 
between  the  cataloguing  room  and  the  reading  room  is  formed  by  an 
elaborate  series  of  drawers  containing  the  catalogue  cards  of  the 
library,  one  case  being  devoted  to  an  arrangement  of  cards  accord- 
ing to  subjects,  the  other  to  a  duplicate  arrangement  according  to 
authors.  A  feature  of  the  cases  is  that  they  may  be  pulled  out  in 
either  direction,  and  can  thus  be  consulted  as  conveniently  by  the 
clerks  in  the  cataloguing  room  as  by  the  readers  in  the  reading  room. 
The  long  wall  of  the  cataloguing  room  has  accommodations  for  6,000 
volumes,  while  in  the  basement  beneath  there  is  a  storeroom  with 
accommodations  for  15,000.  A  delivery  room  in  the  basement  with  a 
separate  entrance  from  the  street  communicates  with  the  cataloguing 
room  by  means  of  an  elevator.  As  rapidly  as  the  books  are  catalogued 
they  are  placed  on  trucks  and  rolled  into  the  book  stack. 

Passing  from  the  receiving  room  into  the  latter,  the  visitor  is  struck 
by  the  novel  features  for  the  accommodation  of  books;  you  almost 
fancy  yourself  in  a  glass  palace,  for,  wherever  one  looks,  the  ceiling,  the 
flooring,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  walls,  one  sees  nothing  but  glass. 
Running  the  length  of  the  building  are  the  shelves,  conveniently  divided 
into  rows,  each  accommodating  about  5,400  volumes,  besides  shelves 
along  the  ends,  which  give  a  total  capacity  of  100,000  volumes  for  the 
ground  floor.  The  basement  beneath,  which  is  at  i)resent  set  aside  for 
newspaper,  pamphlet,  and  periodical  collections,  is  equally  spacious; 
while  everything  is  in  readiness  to  raise  three  stories  of  glass  flooring, 
whenever  required,  above  the  ground  floor,  and  without  materially 
affecting  the  light  of  the  latter  and  of  the  ])asement.  The  total  capacity 
would  thus  reach  over  350,000  volumes,  with  a  fuither  possibility  of 
extending  the  stack  itself  through  the  exterior  wall.  The  construc- 
tion, glass  and  iron,  is  entirely  fireproof;  and  cut  off'  as  the  stack  is 
from  the  rest  of  the  building  by  low  Avails  of  brick  with  an  air  space 


THE   UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES.  395 

I 

between,  iu  will  be  seen  that  the  protection  for  the  books  is  as  ample  as 
can  be  contrived.  A  unique  feature  in  the  construction  of  the  glass 
floor  consists  in  the  fitting  of  the  glass  aisles  within  rolled  star  bars 
of  iron  supported  on  iron  beams.  The  stacks  resting  niK)n  the  star 
bars,  the  tops  are  so  constructed  as  to  permit  the  same  i)lan  to  be  car- 
ried out  in  the  erection  of  a  second  story.  Distributed  in  the  stack 
space  are  a  number  of  tables  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  in  special 
cases  require  to  work  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  books;  but  it 
may  be  well  to  add  in  this  connection  that  ninning  along  the  main 
reading  room  are  shelves  on  which  are  placed  the  reference  works  and 
dictionaries  constantly  needed  by  readers  and  student^;  and  so  also 
the  alcoves  are  fitted  up  with  a  slielving  capacity  of  3,000  volumes 
each,  and  which  are  intended  to  be  set  aside  for  special  collections  that 
may  be  presented  or  loaned  to  the  University. 

Over  the  extensions  to  the  reading  room,  on  either  side,  are  large 
apartments  accessible  from  the  main  stairway,  which  are  at  present 
devoted  to  the  museums  of  the  department  of  archeology,  of  which  au 
account  will  be  found  in  a  preceding  chai)ter.    , 


Chapter  XXIII. 
THE  SCHOOL  OF  ARCHITECTURE. 


The  founding  of  a  School  of  Architecture  in  Philadelphia  was  a 
natural  result  of  the  recent  remarkable  adv^ance  in  the  status  of  archi- 
tecture in  this  country.  Within  the  period  of  a  very  few  years  the 
standard  of  good  architecture  had  been  placed  immeasurably  beyond 
the  point  it  formerly  occupied.  The  evidences  of  this  were  everywhere 
patent  in  the  character  of  our  architecture,  in  the  importance  of  the 
architect  as  a  professional  man,  and  in  the  great  and  growing  interest 
on  the  part  of  the  i)ubjlc  in  all  matters  architectural.  The  most  strik- 
ing effect  of  this  advancement,  within  the  confines  of  the  profession, 
had  been  upon  the  education  and  the  (raining  of  the  architect  himself 
It  had  become  imperatively  necessary  that  he  should  be  a  many-sided 
and  a  broadly  educated  man.  The  new  order  of  things  demonstrated 
beyond  question  that  the  time  was  past  w  hen  the  promoted  draftsman, 
or  the  clever  builder  with  a  knack  for  drawing,  could  enter  the  pro- 
fession and  secure  recognition ;  it  showed  that  the  architect,  to  be 
really  worthy  the  name,  nnist  base  his  professional  training  on  a 
liberal  education  and  a  broad-minded  culture;  that  he  must  add  to 
this  a  knowledge  of  the  science  and  the  aesthetics  of  his  profession, 
and  must  acquire  a  familiarity  with  the  forms  and  traditions  of  archi- 
tecture to  be  gained  only  by  travel  and  study  abroad.  It  was  pre- 
liminary training  of  this  kind  that  enabled  our  best  architects  to  pro- 
duce their  best  work  and  to  advance  as  they  have  done  the  standing 
of  architecture  as  a  fine  art. 

A  new  set  of  conditions,  very  different  from  that  under  which,  in 
past  generations,  we  have  produced  architects  of  eminence  came  about 
in  recent  years  with  the  vast  impetus  felt  in  building  throughout  the 
country.  Public  opinion  required  tliat  the  structures,  springing  uj) 
like  a  mushroom  growth  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land, 
should  be  "  architectural."  What  that  term  might  mean  the  pubhc  did 
not  properly  understand,  but  it  certainly  meant  that  something  higher 
than  the  constructive  skill  of  the  carpenter  and  mason  should  find  ex- 
pression in  building.  This  demand  for  "  architecture "  was  at  once 
met  by  a  supply  of  "  architects,"  partially  drawn  from  the  building 
trades  and  almost  entirely  educated  at  the  drafting  table  of  the  archi- 
tect.   Thus  the  profession  became  filled  with  an  active,  capable,  and 

396 


THE   SCHOOL   OF  ARCHITECTURE.  397 

intelligent  class  of  men  working  earnestly  for  the  improvement  of  oar 
architecture,  but,  be  it  confessed,  making  slow  i)rogre«H  toward  that 
end.  The  conditions  under  which  they,  as  a  class,  qualified  for  the 
profession,  made  it  practically  impossible  that  architecture,  as  a  fine 
art,  should  be  either  fully  understood  or  developed  by  them. 

But  during  this  period  a  leaven  was  working  in  the  profession,  the 
leaven  of  education.  A  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  with  the  %stbetic 
stat«  of  the  profession  and  a  broadening  conception  of  the  greatness  and 
nobility  of  architecture  made  themselves  felt  in  various  ways  that  have 
worked  a  high  and  rapid  advancement  in  the  status  of  the  architect. 
This  impulse  began  to  operate  toward  higher  education  and  showed 
itself  in  many  ways.  Our  younger  men  turned  toward  Europe  as  the 
natural  field  for  the  highest  architectural  training  and  its  great  schools 
have  ever  since  received  numbers  of  them  as  pupils,  while  in  our  own 
country  technical  schools  have  been  established,  to  become  strong  and 
eflficient.  A  large  contingent  of  our  younger  men  have  enjoyed  exten- 
sive foreign  travel,  while  numerous  traveling  scholarships  have  been 
founded  to  foster  and  encourage  this  invaluable  means  of  education. 
Architectural  organizations  have  become  strong  and  influential  and 
have  won  their  way  to  high  public  esteem.  But  all  these  movements 
have  been  but  the  outward  indications  of  the  change.  To  one  within 
the  profession,  who  has  studied  its  conditions  and  noted  its  growth,  the 
transition  it  has  undergone  is  known  to  be  remarkable  and  pregnant 
with  promise  for  the  future.  The  American  architect  who  stands  at 
the  head  of  his  profession  to-day  is  a  man  of  highest  attainments.  He 
has  received  a  general  education  that  places  him  on  an  equality  with  his 
educated  clients,  he  has  had  the  best  technical  training  afforded  by  the 
architectural  schools  of  this  country  or  Europe,  and  he  has  rounded  off 
and  completed  his  education  by  foreign  travel.  His  professional  ac- 
quirements have  set  the  standard  for  his  younger  brothers,  who  know 
that  without  similar  advantages  they  can  not  rise  to  his  level. 

The  movement  that  has  brought  about  this  state  of  things  and  has 
produced  this  type  of  architects  has  brought  into  prominence,  as  its 
chief  factor,  the  architectural  school.  These  schools  provide  their 
graduates  with  that  education  in  the  science,  the  aesthetics,  and  the 
history  of  the  art  of  architecture,  which,  supplemented  by  foreign  travel 
and  study,  gives  them  as  architects  the  highest  possible  development. 
The  advantages  thus  secured  are  indiia)en sable  to  the  complete  train- 
ing of  the  architect,  and  they  can  not  be  secured  by  the  student  in  the 
architect's  office.  The  history  of  these  schools  in  this  country  shows  a 
growth  and  prosperity  that  is  the  highest  prdof  of  these  claims.  There 
have  been  established,  in  New  York  and  Boston  and  at  the  Cornell 
University,  schools  which  have  grown  steadily  into  high  esteem  and 
which,  under  able  management,  have  attained  a  large  attendance  and 
possess  a  splendid  material  equipment. 

That  such  great  architectural  centers  as  New  York  and  Boston  should 
have  schools  of  a  high  grade  showed  Philadelphia,  herself  a  center  of 


398  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

immense  activity  in  architectural  practice,  that  the  natural  base  for 
another  school  was  within  her  own  borders.  All  the  conditions  were 
favorable  to  the  establishment  of  such  an  institution ;  much  more  so, 
indeed,  than  at  the  founding  of  the  older  schools,  because  public  and 
professional  sense  of  the  need  of  them  was  much  keener.  The  need  of 
such  a  school  and  the  promise  of  its  success  became  so  obvious  by  1890, 
that  the  project  for  its  establishment  was  taken  up  in  the  early  part  of 
that  year  and  seriously  discussed  in  various-  quarters.  The  home  of 
the  new  school,  however,  must  be  decided  in  recognition  of  one  funda- 
menta.1  principle.  A  school  of  architecture  must  have  a  course  of  study 
broad  and  comprehensive  enough  to  thoroughly  educate  the  architect. 
As  indicated  above,  he  must  be  grounded  in  the  science,  the  history, 
and  the  aesthetics  of  architecture  and  must  add  to  this  a  complement 
of  liberal  studies  before  he  can  be  said  to  have  an  architectural  educa- 
tion. A  school  without  these  courses,  though  it  may  offer  the  best 
advantages  in  the  way  of  drawing,  is  not  a  school  of  architecture;  it  is 
a  school  of  architectural  drawing  and  its  graduates  will  be,  perhaps, 
clever  draftsmen,  but  never  educated  architects. 

The  proper  location  for  the  new  school  for  Philadelphia  was,  therefore, 
as  obvious  as  the  need  for  it,  and  in  recognition  of  the  above  principle  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  promptly  took  the  initiative  and  established 
the  "School  of  Architecture"  within  its  own  jurisdiction.  This  was 
accomplished  in  1890,  with  the  active  cooperation  and  valuable  assist- 
ance of  Theophilus  P.  Chandler,  jr.,  by  a  reorganization  of  the  "  course 
in  drawing  and  architecture"  in  existence  under  Prof.  Thomas  W.  Rich- 
ards since  1874.  This  action  by  the  university  placed  the  new  depart- 
ment on  the  broadest  basis  possible  for  an  architectural  school.  Thus 
established,  and  provided  with  a  faculty  drawn  from  among  Philadel- 
phia architects  and  artists  and  universitj^  officials,  the  new  school  was 
placed  in  charge  of  Mr.  Chandler,  as  director,  assistants  were  appointed, 
large  and  well-lighted  quarters  assigned  for  the  drafting  rooms,  and  the 
necessary  equipment  for  the  conduct  of  the  department  provided.  The 
course  of  study  was  opened  to  students  in  October,  1890,  and  was  at 
once  entered  by  a  class  of  such  size  as  to  prove  beyond  a  doubt  the 
wisdom  of  the  action  of  the  university.  The  close  of  the  first  year  saw 
the  school  placed  well  beyond  the  experimental  stage  and  with  a  most 
promising  outlook  for  the  future.  The  personnel  of  the  corps  of  instruc- 
tion underwent  at  this  point  a  few  changes  and  assumed  the  form  as 
shown  below  in  the  faculty  list.  Mr.  Chandler  retired  from  the  du-ec- 
torship,  which  office  was  thereupon  discontinued,  and  Mr.  Warren  P. 
Laird,  who  had  been  called  from  a  course  of  architectural  study  in 
Paris  to  assume  charge  of  the  instruction  of  the  school  during  the  year, 
was  elected  to  the  chair  of  architecture.  Prof.  Laird  succeeded  Prof. 
Thomas  W.  Richards,  who  after  a  long  and  honored  incumbency  of  the 
chair  of  drawing  and  architecture,  resigned  at  tlus  time  to  enter  again 
the  active  practice  of  his  profession.    The  growth  of  the  school,  to  the 


THE   SCHOOL   OF    AJ?CHITECTURE.  399 

date  of  this  writing,  the  clovse  of  its  second  year,  has  been  little  less  tlian 
remarkable  in  point  of  attendance  of  students,  while  in  efficiency  and 
in  public  esteem  it  already  compares  favorably  with  the  best  schools  in 
the  country.  Its  present  condition  can  be  best  judged  by  the  following 
r«^sum^ : 

The  course  of  study  is  thorough  and  comprehensive,  comprising  all 
the  essentials  to  a  complete  architectural  course.  The  various  lines  of 
instruction  may  be  gathered  under  three  heads,  viz:  Liberal,  scientific, 
and  ajsthetic.  The  first  are  intended  to  give  general  culture,  the 
second  to  ground  the  student  well  in  the  science  of  good  building  while 
developing  and  disciplining  his  mental  pow;ers,  and  the  third,  chief  in 
importance,  to  give  him  a  true  conception  of  the  nature  of  architecture 
as  a  fine  art  by  teaching  him  its  history  and  aesthetics  and  the  great 
principles  upon  which  it  is  based.  The  strength  and  value  to  the  stu- 
dent, of  this  course,  lie  in  the  fact  that  all  the  studies  are  correlated 
in  such  a  manner  that  every  one  has  a  direct  bearing  on  the  central 
theme,  architecture,  with  reference  to  the  future  career  of  the  student 
as  an  architect. 

The  architectural  studies,  forming  the  purely  professional  part  of  the 
course,  are  taught  by  a  large  corjis  of  instruction,  giving  their  time  to 
these  duties  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  university  work.  These 
studies  begiii  with  the  freshman  year  and  are  carried  through  the 
four  years  of  the  course,  requiring  from  year  to  year  an  increasing 
amount  of  time  in  their  relation  to  the  other  studies  of  the  course.  In 
this  line  of  work  the  student  is  drilled,  throughout  four  years,  in  free 
hand  drawing  in  all  its  phases.  This  comprises  drawing  with  pencil- 
pen,  brush,  and  crayon,  in  black  and  white,  in  color,  from  the  flat, 
the  solid,  photographs,  the  cast,  and  nature.  Allied  to  this  is  the  course 
in  clay  modeling.  The  student  is  drilled  in  mechanical  drawing,  learn- 
ing to  use  drawing  instruments  rapidly  and  well  and  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  science  of  drawing  through  brush  work,  isometric  shades 
and  shadows,  and  perspective.  Comprised,  in  a  general  sense,  under 
freehand  drawing,  but  set  aside  from  it  in  the  curriculum  because  of 
their  special  importance,  are  water-color  and  pen-and-ink  drawing. 
Designing,  as  the  most  important  single  subject  among  the  professional 
studies,  is  prepared  for  in  the  freshman  year  by  exercises  in  drawing 
and  rendering  in  line  and  India  ink  of  architectural  featuies,  moldings, 
etc.,  called  Elements  of  Architecture.  This  is  followed  in  the  sopho- 
more year  by  a  thorough  study  of  the  Orders  of  Architecture,  which 
forms  an  introduction  to  the  study  of  design  proper,  to  which,  in  an 
elementary  form,  the  sophomores  give  the  second  half  of  the  year. 
The  junior  class  continue  this  subject,  giving  it  an  increased  amount 
of  time  on  a  more  serious  line  of  problems,  while  the  senior  class  are 
carried  through  the  most  advanced  line  of  problems  falling  within  the 
province  of  the  school,  completing  their  entire  course  by  a  thesis  in 
design.    These  exercises  are  under  criticism  of  the  professor  in  charge 


400  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

and  are  accompanied  by  lectures  on  the  theory  of  design.  It  is  aimed 
in  giving  this  course  in  design  to  lay  a  basis  of  correct  thought  and 
habit  in  the  solution  of  architectural  problems,  while  guarding  against 
servile  copyism  of  *'  style"  on  the  one  hand  or  a  vagrant  tendency  to- 
ward eclecticism  and  picturesqueness  on  the  other.  It  is  attempted  to 
ground  the  student  in  the  principles  that  underlie  good  design;  to 
familiarize  him  with  that  which  is  good  and  true  in  his  art,  and  to  in- 
culcate habits  of  earnest  and  conscientious  study  that  shall  make  him 
capable,  as  an  architect  in  the  future,  to  take  up  the  problems  pfc- 
sented  in  active  practice  and  give  them  a  direct,  simple,  and  scholarly 
solution. 

The  subject  of  architectural  history  is  taken  through  Egyptian, 
Assyrian,  etc.,  Greek  and  Roman,  early  Christian,  Eomanesque  and 
Byzantine,  Gothic,  Renaissance,  and  modern  architecture  by  means  of 
lectures  supplemented  by  recitations.  These  lectures  are  illustrated 
by  lantern  slides.  The  history  of  ornament  is  treated  in  the  same 
manner. 

In  "measured  drawing"  (the  measuring  of  buildings  already  erected 
and  drawing  them  to  scale)  the  students  receive  a  drill  which  unites, 
in  a  measure,  their  practical  studies  in  working  drawings  and  their 
theoretical  studies  in  design  and  rendering.  The  course  has  a  practi- 
cal character,  given  it  by  the  lectures  on  construction,  the  visits  to 
technical  establishments,  and  the  making  of  architects'  working  draw- 
ings, the  last  being  part  of  the  sophomore  year's  work,  and  the  first 
two  running  through  the  sophomore  and  junior  years.  This  phase  of 
the  course  has  a  two-fold  value  (a)  in  giving  a  practical  character  to 
the  course,  and  by  so  doing  checking  a  too  ready  tendency  on  the  part 
of  the  student  to  regard  architecture  as  a  thing  of  pure  theory,  and 
{b)  by  giving  the  student  a  certain  amount  of  drill  that  enables  him 
on  entering  an  architect's  office  to  make  himself  of  immediate  use. 
These  studies  are  allied  to  the  scientific  branches  described  below. 
The  purely  professional  part  of  the  curriculum  is  completed  by  lectures 
and  demonstrations  on  sanitary  science,  acoustics,  professional  practice, 
specification,  estimates,  etc.  Mention  must  be  made  of  the  work  re- 
quired during  vacation.  This  insures  a  continuity  of  attention  to  the 
main  subject  throughout  the  four  years  of  the  course.  The  student  is 
advised  to  spend  the  greater  part  of  his  vacation  in  an  architect's  oflfice, 
but  may  substitute  for  this  a  certain  amount  of  sketching,  the  require- 
ments being  so  framed  that  they  need  not  deprive  the  student  of  any 
needed  rest  and  relaxation,  while  still  necessitating  some  form  of  activity 
in  architectural  work. 

The  scientific  studies  are  selected  because  of  their  close  relationship 
to  the  main  subject.  In  the  earlier  years  they  furnish  an  indispensable 
mental  training  while  giving  the  student  a  basis  of  scientific  knowl- 
edge for  application  in  his  later  studies  and  in  his  after  career  as  an 
architect.    These  studies  aie,  in  freshman  and  sophomore  years,  alge- 


THE  SCHOOL  OF  ARCHITECTURE.  401 

bra,  trigonometry,  geometry  (solid,  analytic,  and  descriptive),  chemis- 
try, and  physics.  In  junior  and  senior  years  the  science  studies  are  of 
direct  application  to  architectural  practice  ^id  comprise  graphical 
statics,  mechanics  of  materials,  surveying,  and  geology. 

The  third  division  of  the  curriculum,  giving  the  general  culture 
studies,  properly  includes  the  above-mentioned  science  studies  of  the 
freshman  and  sophomore  years.  Added  to  these  are  rhetoric,  English, 
composition  and  English  literature,  French  and  German,  and  general 
history.  These  studies  have  a  great^ractical  advantage  for  the  student, 
both  for  the  purposes  of  general  education  and  for  the  future  usefulness 
of  the  young  architect.  In  English  composition  and  literature  he  ob- 
tains a  drill  in  writing  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  best  models  hy 
which  alone  he  can  learn  the  correct  use  of  his  mother  tongue,  while  a 
reading  knowledge  of  French  and  German  opens  to  him  the  wide  field 
of  the  untranslated  literature  of  architecture. 

Two  new  courses  were  opened  in  the  department  on  this,  the  begin- 
ning of  its  third  year;  the  two  years' special  course  in  architecture, 
and  the  two  years'  course  in  interior  decoration.  The  latter,  lying 
strictly  within  the  i)rovince  of  the  school's  work,  provides  a  thorough 
course  of  study  and  fits  its  graduates  to  practice  "interior  aichitecture." 
It  is  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Herbert  E.  Everett,  of  the  Course  in 
Decoration,  Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts.  The  two  years'  special  course 
ofiers  to  draftsmen  from  architect's  offices,  with  limited  time  at  th^ir 
command  for  study,  the  advanced  subjects  from  the  professional  part  of 
the  four  years'  course. 

The  School  of  Architecture  offers  the  following  courses:  The  four 
years'  course,  leading  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Archi- 
tecture; the  two  years'  special  course,  granting  a  certificate  of  pro- 
ficiency, and  the  two  years'  course  in  Interior  Decoration,  granting  a 
diploma.  The  school  also  provides  all  instruction  in  free  hand  and 
mechanical  drawing  for  freshmen  and  sophomores  in  the  Towne  Scien- 
tific School,  free-hand  drawing  in  the  course  in  biology,  and  architec- 
tural history  in  tlie  senior  year  of  the  Civil  Engineering  Department. 

The  school  had  outgrown  the  quarters  given  to  it  in  1891-'92,  and  the 
suite  of  rooms  shown  in  the  accompanying  plan  was  assigned  to  its  use 
in  the  present  year — 1892-'93.  To  these  is  added  the  modeling  room, 
located  in  another  part  of  the  college  building.  The  school,  in  it« 
rapid  giowth  and  steady  gain  in  efficiency,  owes  much  to  the  generous 
help  given  it  in  instruction  by  busy  professional  men  on  its  lecture 
corps  and  in  its  professorship  in  art.  From  the  first  these  gentlemen 
have  shown  a  most  unselfish  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  school, 
strengthening  the  hands  of  the  regular  corps  of  instruction  by  assum- 
ing instruction  in  subjects  with  which  they  were  specially  conversant 
and  giving  time  beyond  this  to  the  various  engagements  of  faculty  and 
committee  meetings. 
1080 26 


402  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

THE  CORPS  OF  INSTRUCTION   IN  ARCHITECTURE. 

The  corps  of  instruction  in  those  branches  pertaining  specially  to 
architecture  is  made  up  as  follows : 

Warren  P,  Laird,  professor  of  architecture,  in  charge  of  the  school  of  architecture, 
design,  history  of  architecture,  the  orders,  construction. 

Charles  E.  Dana,  professor  of  art,  water-color. 

Julian  Millard,  instructor  in  architecture,  instrumental  drawing,  elements,  shades, 
shadows,  perspective,  and  elementary  design. 

Edmund  A.  Stewardson,'  instructor  iiAnodeling,  modeling  in  clay,  junior  class. 

Wilson  Eyre,  jr.,  instructor  in  pen  and  ink,  pen-and-ink  drawing,  junior  and 
senior  classes. 

Herbert  E.  EVerett,  instructor  in  drawing,  free-hand  drawing,-  all  classes. 

LECTUaEfiS   ON  AKCHITECTURE. 

Theophilus  P.  Chandler,  jr.,^  architect. 
Walter  Cope,  architect,  history  of  Gothic  architecture. 

Frank  Miles  Day,  b.  s.,  architect,  history  of  Greek  and  Roman  architecture,  his- 
tory of  Renaissance  architecture. 

Wilson  Eyre,  jr.,  architect,  theory  of  design. 

Barr  Ferree,*  New  York,  history  of  architecture.  • 

Frank  Furness,  architect.^* 

Addison  Hutton,  architect,  building  construction.^ 

John  Stewardson,  architect,  history  of  ornament. 

Joseph  M.  Wilson,  architect  and  civil  engineer,  building  construction.^ 

LECTURERS   BY  APPOINTMENT,  1891-02. 

George  C.  Mason,  jr.,  architect,  history  of  early  Christian,  Romanesque,  and  Byzan- 
tine architecture. 
Austin  W.  Lord,  architect,  rendering  of  architectural  drawings. 

LECTURERS  ON   SANITARY   SCIENCE. 

John  S.  Billings,  M.  D,,  ll.  d.,  director  of  the  university  hospital  and  lecturer  on 
sanitary  engineering. 
A.  C.  Abbott,  M.  D.',  first  assistant  lecturer  on  sanitary  engineering. 

•  Deceased.  , 

2 Subjects  unassigned  at  date. 
3  Retired  from  faculty  in  1893. 


i 


Chapter  XXIV. 

4 

UNIVERSITY  UNDERGRADUATE  LIFE.  1740-1791-1891. 


CoUego  undergraduate  life  is  largely  molded  by  external  circum- 
stances; and  as  we  trace  the  history  of  any  college  we  will  find  that 
the  everyday  life  of  its  students  has  followed  a  course  of  development 
along  with  the  institution  itself.  And  now  that  the  first  hundred  years 
of  the  corporate  existence  of  our  University  have  passed  away,  we  may 
with  interest  compare  the  two  pictures,  University  undergraduate  life 
of  the  last  century  and  University  undergraduate  life  of  our  own  times. 

Somewhat  different  from  the  undergraduate  life  of  the  present  was 
the  undergraduate  life  of  over  a  hundred  years  ago,  in  the  days  of 
cocked  hats  and  knee  breeches,  when  Philadelphia  was  but  a  smaii 
provincial  town,  when  our  country  was  the  colonies  of  Great  Britain, 
and  our  forefathers  were  tlie  loyal  subjects  of  His  Majesty,  King  George 
the  Third.  The  University,  at  first  known  as  the  Academy  and  after- 
wards as  the  College,  was  then  established  on  Fourth  street,  near  Arch. 
Even  at  that  early  day  the  College  was  one  of  the  principal  institutions 
of  learning  in  the  colonies,  and  was  known  abroad  almost  as  well  as  at 
liome.  Its  faculty  consisted  of  five  professors  and  a  number  of, instruc- 
tors, a  large  corps  for  that  time,  and  its  curriculum*  comprised  the 
studies  which  continued,  until  quite  recent  years,  to  comprise  the 
course  of  our  best  American  colleges.  It  numbered  its  students  by  the 
hundreds,  and  drew  them  fiom  all  the  colonies,  many  coming  also  from 
the  West  Indies.  Such  of  the  students  as  came  from  abroad  were 
lodged  in  dormitories  within  the  College  walls,  and  we  may  add,  us  a 
curious  example  of  the  morals  of  the  age,  that  the  funds  for  the  erec- 
tion of  these  buildings  were  raised  by  a  lottery.  At  this  time  the  en- 
tire annual  expense  of  a  student,  including  tuition,  board,  and  tire- 
wood,  was  only  £30.  * 

An  ancient  statute  book  of  the  University  gives  us  an  insight  into 
the  college  life  of  the  last  century;  and  as  we  gaze  upon  the  wriukle<l 
yellow  paper  with  its  faded  writing,  there  rises  before  us  a  shadowy 
picture  of  those  olden  times.  The  document  is  valuable,  not  only  in- 
trinsically, but  for  the  thoughts  that  it  suggests.  The  code  aimed  at 
regulating  the  entire  life  of  the  student  by  exercising  physical,  moral, 
and  intellectual  supervision  over  him  in  all  ways  "found  sahitary  and 

403 


404  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

good  upon  trial."  ToTjegin,  fighting  was  a  serious  offense;  that  is,  an 
offense  punishable  by  corporal  chastisement.  This  rule  was,  perhaps, 
rendered  necessary  by  an  old  college  custom  which  compelled  every 
studeut  upon  his  admission  to  have  at  least  one  pugilistic  battle  with 
one  of  his  classmates,  in  order  to  establish  his  claim  to  the  honor  of 
being  called  an  "Academy  boy."  And  as  an  indication  of  the  tenacity 
with  which  the  eighteenth  century  collegians  clung  to  their  ancient  cus- 
toms, we  may  note  that  on  the  margin  opposite  this  clause  of  the  rules 
stand  the  melancholy  words,  "  Needs  amendment."  Blasphemy,  curs- 
ing, drunkenness,  gaming,  and  kindred  offenses  were  punished  by  a  fine 
of  3  shillings  or  by  chastisement;  and  if  the  transgressor  i^ersisted  in 
his  evil  courses  he  was  liable  to  suspension.  Kor  did  the  ruh's  forget 
the  religious  education  of  the  student.  There  was  a  special  provision 
compelling  church  attendance  on  the  Sabbath,  and  elaborate  rules 
referring  to  chapel  attendance  and  behavior;  but  it  does  not  speak  well 
for  the  morals  of  the  time  to  find  here  the  marginal  note,  "  Not  effect- 
ual." An  absence  from  prayers  in  those  days  cost  the  culprit  two 
English  half-pence,  and  for  "  cuts"  of  all  other  kinds  the  price  was  an 
even  shilling.  To  restrain  the  too  ardent  spirits  of  our  forefathers, 
and  lo  preserve  the  scholastic  quiet  that  ought  to  envelop  an  institu- 
tion of  learning,  it  was  enacted : 

No  student  shall  climb  over  the  fences  of  the  College  yard,  or  come  in  or  go  out 
through  the  windows,  or  ])lay  ball,  or  use  any  kind  of  diversion  within  the  yard  of 
tlie  University,  nor  shall  in  the  presence  of  tbe  trustees,  professors,  or  tutors,  jday  ball, 
wrestle,  make  any  indecent  noise,  or  behave  in  any  way  rudely  in  the  College  yard 
or  streets  adjacent. 

It  is  evident  from  this  that  athletics  had  not  yet  come  into  fashion. 

Thus  the  rules  run  on  until,  as  we  read  and  ponder,  it  requires  no 
great  effort  of  the  imagination  to  picture  to  ourselves  t4ie  everyday 
undergraduate  life  of  a  hundred  years  ago. 

History  gives  us  several  amusing  anecdotes  of  the  early  instructors 
in  the  College.  Master  John  Beveridge,  a  Latin  professor,  was  the 
butt  of  all  the  practical  jokes  of  the  students.  They  dared  even  to 
steal  his  wig  oft'  his  head ;  and  it  is  related  that  on  one  occasion,  while 
he  sat  hearing  a  recitation,  the  shutters  were  suddenly  closed,  leaving 
the  room  in  darkness,  and  the  astounded  instructor  was  driven  from 
his  room  by  a  shower  of  books,  amid  the  yells  and  jeers  of  the  class. 
But  David  James  Dove,  the  first  teacher  of  the  English  school,  was 
more  than  a  match  for  the  students.  To  borrow  an  eighteenth  century 
pun,  he  was  said  to  have  been  more  of  a  falcon  than  a  dove.  When 
he  kept  a  private  school,  before  his  elevation  to  a  college  professorship, 
he  invented  a  novel  method  of  punishing  lateness.  When  a  boy  was 
late  in  the  morning  he  used  to  dispatch  a  deputation  of  six  scholars 
with  a  bell  and  lighted  lantern  to  escort  the  delinquent  to  school  in 
state.  And  it  is  related  that  on  one  occasion  Master  Dove,  being 
himself  belated,  was  waited  on  by  the  committee.    But  he,  nothing 


UNIVERSITY    UNDERGRADUATE   LIFE,    1745-17'JI-1891.         405 

disconcerted,  put  himself  behind  the  bell  and  lantein,  and  marched  to 
.  school,  "to  no  small  gratification  of  tlie  boys  and  entertainment  of  the 
spectators."  Whether  he  introduced  his  custom  into  the  College  the 
chronicle  saith  not. 

The  one  form  of  athletics  cultivated  in  the  College  in  pre-Iievolu- 
tionary  times  was  running.  Over  this  8X)ort  they  became  even  enthu- 
siastic. "  Strippeil  to  the  shirt,  head  bound  with  a  handkerchief,  loos- 
ened  knee-bands,  and  barefooted,  the  racers  started  from  the  Arch 
street  corner  and  encompassed  the  College  gnmnds;  while  the  people 
stood  in  crowds,  open-mouthed,  eager  ta  catch  the  first  view  of  the 
victor,  their  '  swift-footed  Achilles.' " 

But  the  one  event  in  the  College  year  that  aroused  popular  attention 
to  the  highest,  that  brought  together  all  the  gentry  <jf  Philadelphia  and 
delegations  from  outside  the  colony,  was  the  annual  connnencement. 
In  those  days  a  commencement  was  the  afll'air  of  a  whole  day.  The 
exercises  began  at  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  continued  till  mtou,  when 
the  audience  dispersed  for  dinner,  after  which  they  reassembled  until 
sundown.  The  program  comi)rised  a  dialogue  and  ode,  commemorat- 
ing some  public  event,  a  "  charge  "  to  the  graduates,  poems,  orations, 
disputations  in  Latin  and  English,  and  the  discussions  of  theses.  The 
music,  a  prominent  feature,  was  furnished  by  the  Orpheus  Club  of  the 
College,  or  by  His  Majesty's  Marine  Band.  At  the  commencement  of 
1759  the  Hon.  James  Hamilton,  governor  of  the  Colony,  favored  the 
citizens  with  a  few  words.  In  17G2  the  program  was  in  Latin,  a  huge 
broadside  2  feet  long  and  a  foot  wide,  printed  in  display  type.  The 
newspapers  of  the  time  tell  us  that  the  "  Commencement  was  held  at 
tlie  College  in  the  Presence  of  a  learned,  polite,  and  very  brilliant  Assem- 
bly," that  "  His  Honour,  the  Governor,  was  pleased  to  attend  the  whole 
/  day,"  that  "  many  other  Gentlemen  of  learning  and  the  first  Distinction 
fi'om  the  neighbouring  parts  were  likewise  present,"  that  the  valedic- 
tory was  spoken  "with  much  Elegance  and  Tenderness,"  and  that 
"  Everything  was  conducted  with  the  utmost  Decency  and  order."  The 
attraction  of  the  commencement  of  1771  was  the  singing  of  an  ode  to 
'  organ  accompaniment  by  Jacob  Bankson,  esq.,  A.  M.  The  other  mu- 
sical features  of  the  entertainment  were  funiished  by  the  bands  of  the 
Eighteenth  or  Royal  Regiment  of  Ireland,  and  of  the  Twenty-first  or 
Royal  North  British  Fusileers.  The  exercises  lasted  the  whole  day  and 
are  said  to  have  given  "  general  satisfaction."  In  1775  the  Continental 
Congress  attended  the  commencement,  "  the  galleries  and  other  parts 
of  the  house  being  filled  with  as  many  of  the  respectable  inhabitants  of 
the  city  as  could  find  room."  The  eighteenth  century  commencement, 
in  truth,  was  the  one  outlet  for  college  feeling,  suppressetl  for  an  entire 
year,  and  into  that  celebration  the  collegians  Of  the  time  threw  them- 
selves heart  and  soul. 

Forever  passed  away  are  these  scenes  of  ancient  college  life,  and  the 
vision  of  eighteenth  century  manners  and  customs  gwes  place  to  the  ^ 


406  THE    UNIVEKSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

picture  of  our  modern  university  undergraduate  life.  Yet  the  inter- 
vening years  were  not  devoid  of  interest;  they  were  years  of  earnest, 
hard  work;  years  marked  by  the  birth  of  many  schemes  which  have 
come  to  maturity  only  in  this  our  day.  And  the  college  life  of  this 
period  was  marked  by  many  an  important  event.  We  could  tell  of  the 
abrogation  of  the  College  charter  in  1779,  of  its  restoration  ten  years 
later,  and  of  the  organization  of  the  University  under  its  present  charter 
in  1791.  We  could  tell  the  story  of  our  College  during  the  Kevolution, 
when  its  buildings  were  seized  as  barracks  by  the  Continental  soldiers, 
and  when,  later,  the  iron  heel  of  the  British  trooper  was  planted  in  those 
halls  consecrated  to  learning.  We  could  tell  how  during  the  War  of 
1812  the  University  boys  worked  on  the  fortifications  like  common 
laborers,  and  pageg  could  be  filled  with  the  narration  of  the  gallant 
conduct  of  Pennsylvania's  sons  during  the  Civil  war.  But  these  are 
matters  of  history,  and  all  the  world  knows  them.  These  years  were 
the  period  of  struggle;  today,  the  period  of  success. 

The  departure  of  the  University  in  1872  from  Ninth  and  Chestnut 
streets,  whither  it  had  removed  in  1802,  marked  the  new  era  in  Uni- 
versity affairs ;  and  from  this  time  the  undergraduate  life  begins  to 
present  substantially  the  same  aspect  that  it  does  to-day.  The  Uni- 
versity, since  it  has  removed  to  its  new  home,  taking  advantage  of  the 
opportunity  for  growth  thereby  afiorded,  has  advanced  in  all  directions 
with  gigantic  strides;  and  student  life,  expanding  along  with  the  Col- 
lege itself,  has  become  complex  and  many  sided.  But  there  is  one  con- 
sideration that  must  be  borne  in,min4  in  the  study  of  life  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania — the  absence  of  dormitories.  This,  together 
with  the  location  of  the  University  close  to  the  heart  of  a  great  city, 
gives  a  distinctive  feature  to  undergraduate  life,  since  external  relations 
vie  with  the  College  in  claiming  the  interest  of  the  student.  And  as  a 
result  of  environment,  many  of  the  phases  of  life  common  to  other  great 
colleges  are  unknown  in  the  University,  while,  at  the  same  time,  life 
there  presents  some  uniijue  features. 

'  Viewed  from  the  educational  side,  life  at  the  University  does  not  differ 
gTeatly  from  life  at  any  other  large  college  where  an  able  corps  of  in- 
structors, well-arranged  courses,  and  a  complete  equipment  combine  to 
afford  a  higher  education.  In  educational  matters  the  University  has 
kept  fully  abreast  of  the  times.  She  was  early  to  introduce  the 
elective  system,  and  besides,  should  a  class  of  students  desire  to 
take  up  a  special  study,  they  have  little  trouble  in  finding  an  in- 
structor able  and  willing  to  assist  them;  and  in  addition  to  class 
instruction,  both  in  course  and  voluntary,  a  great  deal  of  work  is  done 
in  the  University  through  the  seminar  system.  A  number  of  students, 
interested  in  a  particular  study,  meet  their  professor,  often  at  his  house, 
and  spend  an  evening  in  informal  discussion.  The  amount  of  good 
accomplished  by  the  seminars  is  incalculable.  Besides  the  knowledge 
acquired  by  a  method  of  instruction  in  which  the  interest  of  all  is  espe- 


UNIVERSITY    UNDERGRADUATE   LIFE,    1745-1791-1891.         407 

cially  aroused  and  the  preceptor  acquainted  with  the  mental  character- 
istics of  his  class,  students  and  professor  are  brought  into  intimate  per- 
sonal contact,  the  barrier  that  too  often  stands  between  them  is  broken 
down,  and  students  and  professor  bound  together  in  a  closer  onion. 

The  influence  of  these  features  above  alluded  to,  the  absence  oi  dor- 
mitories, and  the  location  of  the  University  in  the  city,  is  most  notice- 
able when  we  turn  to  the  social  side  of  undergraduate  life.  There  is  no 
home  life  of  the  College,  and  no  opportunity  for  the  formation  of  those 
relations  which  usually  lend  a  charm  to  college  life.  But  the  social  in- 
stinct of  the  University  men,  curbed  in  this  direction,  seeks  an  outlet 
through  the  medium  of  societies,  manifold  in  number  and  varied  in 
character.  There  are  societies  literary,  scientific,  religious,  and  secret; 
clubs  artistic,  musical,  athletic,  and  social.  In  the  first  place,  we  have 
the  Philomathean  Society,  the  old  established  literary  association,  and 
her  worthy  sister  the  Scientific  Society,  and  the  Greek  letter  fraterni- 
ties. Then  we  may  note  the  Christian  Association,  and  the  Church 
club,  the  orchestra,  the  banjo  club,  and  the  glee  club,  the  mask  aud 
wig,  the  sketch  club,  the  gun  club,  the  chess  club,  and  the  bicycle 
club.  The  list  might  be  indefinitely  extended  were  we  to  attempt  an 
enumeration  of  all  the  miscellaneous  societies,  with  objects  aa  di- 
verse as  their  names.  Into  these  various  associations  the  students 
are  drawn,  each  one  according  to  his  tastes  and  endowments;  and  in 
the  smaller  circle  of  the  association  they  try  to  find  a  substitute  for  the 
wider  college  life  that  is  at  present  impossible.  And  in  passing,  we 
must  notice,  also,  athletics,  for  they,  too,  exert  a  social  mfluence.  Yet 
ultimately,  the  societies  react  on  the  whole  University.  For  the  men  in 
the  various  societies  aud  on  the  various  athletic  teams  are  knit  together 
more  closely  by  the  bond  of  their  common  interest,  and  thus  is 
aroused  a  livelier  interest  in  the  College,  of  which  the  society  is*  but  a 
part. 

Though  hazing  is  a  barbarism  unknown  in  the  University,  we  are 
not  to  imagine  the  University  men  devoid  of  class  spirit.  Indeetl, 
nowhere  does  class  spirit  run  higher,  and  nowhere  are  the  sophomores, 
the  proverbial  bullies  of  the  college  world,  more  jealous  of  their 
rights.  By  unwritten  University  law  no  freshman  is  permitted  to  use 
a  cloth  bag,  wear  a  high  hat,  or  carry  a  cane,  and  woe  to  the  freshman 
who,  in  his  ignorance  or  insolence,  dares  to  transgress  these  reguhi 
tions.  After  a  brief  tussle  fragments  of  his  hat  or  bag  adorn  the 
lapels  of  the  victorious  upper  classmen,  and  the  broken  cane  goes  oft' 
to  the  carpenter  shop  to  be  cut  into  rings  suitable  for  the  manufacture 
of  sleeve  buttons  for  the  victorious  "  sophs."  But  these  fights  are  usu 
ally  prearranged  affairs,  where  the  freshmen,  attired  in  canvas  jackets 
and  short  breeches,  and  some  even  naked  to  the  waist,  appej»r  on  the 
scene  brandishing  their  cane  of  well-seasoned  hickory  G  feet  long  and 
3  inches  thick,  or  intrench  themselves  in  a  convenient  corner  and  dare 
the  sophomores  to  oust  them.    Many  are  the  escapades  perpetrated 


408  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

during  tbese  fights,  yet  they  are  marked  by  the  absence  of  anything 
like  violence  and  are  really  nothing  more  than  friendly  trials  of  strength 
between  the  two  classes.  They  are  most  frequent  in  the  early  i^art  of 
the  college  year,  and  reach  their  climax  about  midwinter  in  the  Bowl 
Fight.  The  sophomores  are  given  a  certain  number  of  minutes  to  place 
in  a  great  wooden  bowl,  which  they  have  kindly  prepared  for  his  recep- 
tion, the  lowest  honor  man  of  the  freshman  class.  Should  the  fresh- 
men succeed  in  holding  their  bowlman  from  the  grasp  of  the  sopho- 
mores until  time  is  called,  the  freshmen  then  struggle  to  break  the 
bowl.  In  the  olden  times,  when  the  fight  took  place  in  the  city  streets 
and  the  police  and  "  muckers,"  as  the  denizens  of  the  West  Philadel- 
phia streets  are  called  by  the  collegians,  took  part  in  the  fray,  bowl 
fights  were  indeed  wild  scenes ;  but  since  under  the  new  regime  the 
contest  is  confined  to  University  ground  and  governed  by  rules  they 
have  been  stripped  of  their  horrors,  and,  in  fact,  have  been  so  refined 
away  that  they  seem  passing  into  the  shade  of  the  traditional. 

Truly  is  college  life  spiced  with  variety.  The  same  man  whom  we 
see  in  the  morning,  in  canvas  jacket,  Ijowling  and  tugging  in  the  center 
of  a  cane  rush,  we  may  find  a  few  hours  later,  attired  in  faultless  even- 
ing dress,  whispering  honeyed  trifles  as  he  glides  through  the  circling 
mazes  of  a  waltz.  In  the  course  of  the  year  there  are  three  balls  given 
by  the  University  classes — the  sophomore  dance,  the  junior  ball,  and 
the  ivy  ball  of  the  senior  class.  And  pleasant  sights,  in  truth,  are 
college  balls;  the  room  tastefully  decorated  with  flowers  and  hung  with 
college  colors,  the  walls  adorned  with  fraternity  insignia  and  athletic 
trophies,  and  the  gay  whirling  throng  of  handsome  young  fellows  and 
pretty  girls.  Ami  besides  the  balls,  the  concerts  of  glee  club  and 
orchestra,  the  dramatic  performances  of  the  mask  and  wig,  and  the 
athletic  exhibitions  and  contests,  may  be  considered  society  events. 
Yet  all  these  affafrs  accomi)lish  a  better  resuJt  than  merely  furnishing 
amusement,  for  they  attract  the  attention  of  the  community  and  stimu- 
late public  interest  in  the  University  and  its  work. 

Of  late  years  there  has  appeared  a  tendency  to  allow  many  of  the 
events  of  the  year  to  gravitate  towards  commencement  week ;  and  while 
in  olden  times  a  commencement  was  the  aftair  of  a  whole  day,  nowa- 
days the  celebrations  attendant  on  the  close  of  the  College  year  are 
distributed  over  the  course  of  a  whole  week.  Baccalaureate  sermon, 
cremation,  junior  exhibition,  ivy  planting,  class  day,  and  commence- 
ment, form  a  brilliant  series  of  events,  and  for  the  time  being  the 
University  becomes  a  center  of  general  interest.  The  ceremony  of  ivy 
planting  is  a  beautiful  allegory.  With  suitable  exercises,  an  ivy  is 
l»lanted  beneath  the  College  walls,  and  above  is  affixed  a  marble  tablet 
bearing  the  name  of  the  class  and  an  appro])riate  device,  as  symbols 
of  perpetual  youth.  Cremation,  formerly  as  riotous  a  scene  as  an  old- 
time.bowl  fight,  is  transformed  into  a  magnificent  pageant.  Thig  is  the 
awfal  night  when,  with  solemn  and  mysterious  rites,  the  exultant 


UNIVERSITY   UNDERGRADUATE   IJFE,    1745-1791-1891.         409 

sophomores  place  the  torch  to  the  funeral  pyre  of  their  vanquiBlied 
enemy,  the  author  of  their  most  hateful  text-hook.  Class  day,  in  tile 
main  like  similar  celebrations  in  other  colleges,  is  marked  by  one  par- 
ticularly i^leasing  incident,  the  presentation  of  a  wooden  simjod  to  the 
man  who  has  endeared  himself  most  to  his  classmates.  To  elect  him 
spoonman  is  the  highest  honor  a  University  class  can  confer  on  acla.ss- 
mate,  and  it  is  an  honor  to  be  remembered  for  life.  The  week  is  also 
marked  by  the  publication  of  The  Eecord,  the  literary  souvenir  of  the 
graduating  class.  First  published  about  fifteen  years  ago  as  a  thin 
paper-covered  pamphlet.  The  Record  has  grown  into  a  large  handsomely- 
bound  book,  profusely  adorned  with  illustrations.  It  contains  statistics 
from  all  departments  of  the  University  and  of  all  the  organizations,  the 
personal  records  of  the  members  of  the  graduating  class,  the  class-day 
exercises,  and  miscellaneous  arti(;les  of  a  somewhat  apocryphal  nature; 
and  within  its  pages  is  many  a  bit  of  real  wit,  and  many  an  artistic 
gem.  And  finally  comes  commencement,  when,  attired  in  cap  and  gown, 
the  student  advances  to  receive  the  coveted  degree. 

Such  is  a  sketch  in  outline  of  university  life  of  a  century  ago  and 
contemporary  university  life.  '  It  is  these  incidents  of  undergraduate 
days,  many  of  them  in  themselves  trivial,  that  indicate  the  moral  and 
intellectual  atmosphere  in  which  the  collegian  lives  for  four  years,  just 
at  the  very  period  of  life  when  a  young  man  is  most  susceptible  to  ex- 
ternal influences.  The  real  aim  of  a  college  is  not  only  to  train  the  in- 
tellect, but  to  fit  men  for  a  place  in  the  world ;  and  undergraduate  life, 
by  the  intimate  association  of  man  and  man,  and  the  contact  of  mind 
with  mind,  molds  and  strengthens  the  character.  College  life  with  its 
varied  experiences  is,  hi  fact,  but  a  miniature  of  the  larger  life  for  which 
it  is  the  preparation ;  and  that  college  which  most  thoroughly  equips 
its  students  for  their  battle  with  the  world,  fulfills  its  mission  in  the 
truest  and  highest  sense.  -Our  alma  mater  has  ever  nurtured  her  child- 
ren in  true  nobility,  has  ever  held  before  them  the  ideal  of  true  manhood, 
and  as  the  years  roll  by,  still  bearing  aloft  her  glorious  standard,  "  Hterte 
sine  moribm  vancv,^^  may  she  ever  send  forth  her  sons  worthy  the  name 
of  "  Good  Old  Penn." 


Chapter  XXV. 

ORGANIZATIONS  WITHIN  THE  UNIVERSITY.' 


The  history  of  every  institution  such  as  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania exhibits  an  increasing  differentiation  into  new  channels  and 
a  widening  influence  due  to  the  greater  number  of  points  in  which 
it  puts  itself  111  contact  with  the  outer  world.  In  the  earlier  period  of 
its  history  there  was  little  organization  among  the  students  of  the 
University,  except  such  as  the  college  authorities  imposed  u])on  them 
by  reason  of  equality  of  years  or  attainment. 

The  various  organizations  within  the  University  fall  naturally  into 
several  well  defined  groups:  (1)  Alumni  and  class  organizations;  (2) 
organizations  intended  to  supplement  the  ordinary  curriculum  of  study ; 
(3)  org-anizations  for  special  literary  or  scientific  pursuits,  including 
students'  publications;  (4)  musical  and  dramatic  societies;  (5)  ath- 
letic societies;  (G)  associations  for  purely  social  purjwses,  including 
the  Greek  letter  societies  and  other  fraternities,  and  (7)  societies  not 
otherwise  classified.  In  many  instances  it  will  be  impossible  to  draw 
a  rigid  hue  of  classification,  because  many  bodies,  originally  organ- 
ized as  purely  ancillary  to  the  regular  curriculum  of  study,  have  long 
since  become  an  integral  and  recognized  part  of  the  regular  course, 
whilst  even  some  of  those,  not  strictly  in  the  line  of  mere  study,  have  be- 
come so  completely  a  part  of  university  life,  that  to  judge  them  apart 
would  be  to  do  violence  to  the  spirit,  if  not  the  letter,  of  their  constitu- 
tions. We  shall  i)roceed  to  consider  these  groups  in  the  order  men- 
tioned above. 

Class  organizations  have  long  been  the  established  custom  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  They  extend  to  nearly  all  the  depart- 
ments, and  are  usually  continued  after  graduation,  frequently  for 
many  years.  The  desire  to  continue  the  associations  of  undergraduate 
life  has  led  to  the  formation  of  various  alumni  societies,  of  which  the 
earliest  is  the  Society  of  the  Alumni  of  the  University  of  Penusylvania, 
as  it  is  styled,  which  held  its  first  annual  meeting  July  14,  1830. 
The  society,  as  now  constituted,  consists  of  graduates  of  the  Col 
lege  Department  of  the  University,  and  such  other  matriculates  of 
that  department  as  may  have  been  elected  to  membership  by  the 
Board  of  Managers.    Its  object  is  to  sustain  and  advance  the  interests 


'  Want  of  space  has  prevented  the  printing  of  this  chapter  in  the  urigiual  form. 
410 


ORGANIZATIONS   WITHIN   THE    UNIVERSITY.  411 

of  the  College  Department  and  to  form^an  organized  body  of  its  gra<l- 
uates.  An  annual  meeting  is  held  on  the  evening  of  commencement 
day,  which  is  followed  by  the  annual  collation.  The  ordinary  business 
of  the  society  during  the  year  is  conducted  by  a  Hoard  of  Managers 
elected  at  the  annual  meeting.  A  committee  of  the  society  has  Imjch 
at  work  for  five  years  on  a  complete  synoptic  catalogue  of  the 
matriculates  of  the  College  Department  to  be  published  shortly.  Tlie 
society  offers  various  prizes  for  scholarship  and  in  athletics.  The 
society,  moreover,  keeps  itself  in  touch  with  the  undergraduates  by 
means  of  a  provision  of  its  by-laws  by  which  a  member  from  each  of  the 
last  three  classes  graduated  is  elected  to  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
society.  The  Society  of  the  Alumni  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  was  founded  in  1870.  The  object  of  this 
society  is  to  sustain  and  advance  the  interests  and  influence  of  the 
Medical  Department  by  the  promotion  of  sentiments  of  general  brother- 
hood and  amity  among  the  graduates  and  by  aiding  in  all  efforts  to 
elevate  the  standard  of  medical  education  and  to  extend  the  progress 
of  medical  science  and  art.  Among  other  works  the  society  has 
just  completed  the  catalogue  of  the  graduates  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment. The  society  awards  a  bronze  medal  annually  to  the  member 
of  the  graduating  class  who  receives  the  highest  general  average. 
The  Society  of  the  Alumni  of  the  Law  Department  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  was  incorporated  May  1,  1861;  its  object  "  to  sustain 
and  advance  the  interests  of  the  departmei^t,  and  to  cherish  feelings  of 
amity  among  its  graduates."  This  society  is  also  governed  by  a  Board 
of  Managers,  holds  an  annual  meeting,  and  has  established  the 
Sharswood  and  the  Meredith  prize,  "to  be  competed  for  by  mem- 
bers of  the  graduating  class  for  the  best  and  second  best  gi-adua- 
tion  essay."  The  Dental  and  Veterinary  Departments  have  each  an 
Alumni  Society  of  similar  organization  to  those  already  mentioned.  Au 
especial  feature  of  the  latter  consists  in  the  appointment  of  a  permanent 
historian,  whose  reports  form  a  feature  of  the  annual  meeting. 

Although  no  combination  of  the  various  alumni  societies  of  the  Uni- 
versity exists  at  present,  unity  of  action  among  the  alumni  of  several  of 
the  departments  is  secured  thnmgh  the  central  committee  of  the  alumni. 
This  committee  is  composed  of  graduates  of  the  College,  the  Law,  and 
the  Medical  Departments,  and  as  representative  of  the  general  alumni, 
it  enjoys  the  privilege  of  nominating  to  every  third  vacancy  in  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University. 

(2)  -The  majority  of  those  organizations  which  are  intended  to  sup- 
plement the  ordinary  curriculum  of  study  are  of  comparatively  recent 
growth,  and  due  largely  to  the  increasing  breadth  of  the  courses  of  in 
struction,  the  introduction  of  the  elective  system  into  the  College 
Department,  and  the  improved  methods  of  study  in  the  professional 
schools.  However,  long  before  the  introduction  of  the  Seminar  or  Labo 
ratory  system,  clubs  of  a  more  or  less  formal  nature  existed  among 


412  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

the  students  of  all  departments  for  the  purpose  of  supplementing  the 
ordinary  courses  by  means  of  quizzes  upon  the  lectures,  or  the  prepara- 
tion of  jiapers  involving  original  work.  The  Department  of  Arts  has 
always  had  its  study  clubs  in  literature  and  the  classics,  the  Towue 
Scientific  School,  clubs  such  as  the  present  Civil  Engineers  Club  and 
the  Chemical  Society,  devoted  either  to  some  special  technical  topic 
or  to  the  discussion  of  subjects  of  general  scientific  interest.  In  the 
Law  School,  aside  from  the  Moot  Courts  and  regular  clubs,  there  have 
always  been  several  quizzes ;  in  the  Medieal  Department,  in  the  words 
of  its  Dean,  "  there  have  been  thirty  clubs  and  quizzes  of  varying  im- 

» ix>rtauce  in  the  last  fifty  j^ears;"  and  the  general  statement  is  equally 
true  of  the  Dental,  the  Veterinary,  and  the  Biological  Departments. 
Among  the  earliest  is  the  Medical  Institute,  by  some  reported  to  have 
been  in  existence  in  1817  and  chartered  somewhere  in  the  forties. 
Another  club  of  like  character  is  the  Demonstrator's  Quiz,  founded  in 
188C;  it  has  given  instruction  to  nearly  3,000  students  since  its  organi- 
zation. 

Of  late  years  the  formation  of  small  Medical  Societies  has  done  much 
to  foster  alike  the  studious  and  the  social  element  among  the  students 
of  that  Department.  There  are  at  preseitt  four  suclj  societies.  At  their 
regular  meetings  papers  are  read  and  discussions  held  on  subjects  "re- 
lating to  the  theory  and  practice  of  medicine,"  addresses  are  occasion- 
ally delivered  by  honorary  and  ex-members,  and  in  at  least  one  a  circu- 
lating magazine  library  forms  one  of  the  most  valuable  features.  The 
membership  of  these  clubs  varies  from  fifteen  to  thirty.  The  oldest  is 
the  Alfred  Stille  Medical   Society;  others  are  the  Horatio  C.  Wood 

JMedical  Society;  the  William  Pepper  Medical  Society,  an  extremely 
successful  and  popular  organization,  which  aims  at  encouraging  the 
scientific  activity  of  its  members,  of  Which  the  writer  has  been  unable 
to  obtain  any  further  data,  and  the  D.  Hayes  Agnew  Surgical  Society. 
The  efficiency  of  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  is  greatly 
enhanced  by  the  work  of  several  legal  clubs,  formed  at  ditferent  times 
among  the  students.    Six  of  these  are  now  in  active  operation,  the 

'  Sharswood,  Miller,  E.  Coppee  Mitchell,  J.  I.  Clark  Hare,  George  Whar- 
ton Pepper  clubs  and  the  Phi  Delta  Phi  legal  fraternity.  The  work  of 
clubs  consists  in  quizzes  and  the  argument  of  cases  in  which  the  mem- 
bers argue  or  sit  as  judges  in  rotation.  The  membership  varies  from 
twenty  to  thirty  and  the  meetings  are  held  weekly.  The  aggregate 
membership  of  all  the  clubs  includes  a  large  majority  of  the  students 
in  the  Department.  The  earliest  of  these  clubs  was  the  Sharswood, 
founded  in  1881. 

The  Biological  Department  sui)ports  two  clubs  of  the  utmost  value 
in  the  prosecution  of  biological  studies,  the  Journal  Club,  and  the  Nat- 
uralists' Field  Club,  devoted  to  field  studies  in  natural  history,  espe- 
cially the  study  of  the  fauna,  flora,  and  geological  features  of  the  re- 
gion surrounding  Philadelphia.    Both  societies  are  extremely  liberal  in 


ORGANIZATIONS   WITHIN   THE   UNIVERSITY.  413 

the  matter  of  membership,  the  latter  esi)ecially  aiming  at  making  the 
University  the  center  of  the  biological  interests  of  the  city.  Other 
clubs  of  this  class  are  the  James  Truman  Dental  Society  and  the  Vet- 
erinary Society. 

To  these  clubs  the  several  seminars  or  seminaries  of  the  various  de- 
partments must  be  added,  which  although  not  strictly  students' 
societies  nor  possessed  of  any  formal  organization,  are  all,  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  supplementary  in  their  work  to  the  requirements  of  the 
curriculum.  The  following  seminaries  are  at  present  in  active  opera- 
tion: In  the  Department  of  Philosophy  Graduate  Seminaries  in  Phi- 
losophy and  in  English  Literature;  in  the  Arts  Department  Professor 
Fullerton's  Seminary  with  the  Seniors  in  Philosophy,  Professor  Schel- 
ling's  two  Seminaries  for  Seniors  and  Juniors  respectively  in  English 
Literature;  in  the  Towne  Scientific  School,  Dr.  Smith's  Seminary  in 
General  Inorganic  and  Analytical  Chemistry.  There  are  two  semina- 
ries in  the  Wharton  School,  one  amongst  the  earliest;  they  are  Profes- 
sor James's,  in  Political  Science,  and  Professor  Patten's,  in  Political 
Economy.  There  is  also  the  Seminary  in  the  Bi6logical  Department,  in 
which  in  addition  to  the  usual  reading  and  discussion  of  original  pai)er8 
by  members  of  the  seminary,  invited  guests  and  members  of  the  fac- 
ulty are  frequently  present  to  join  in  the  discussion  and  add  to  its  inter- 
est; also  the  two  seminaries  in  the  School  of  American  History,  Profes- 
sor McMaster's  and  Piofessor Thorpe's. 

Too  much  stress  can  not  be  laid  upon  the  importance  of  seminaries  in  the  life  of 
the  University.  It  is  undeniably  true  that  in  the  class  room  the  professor  can  not 
give  individual  attention  to  the  many  men  of  a  large  class,  and  so  the  efficacy  of  his 
work  is  lost.  But  in  the  seminary,  the  professor,  whilst  holding  the  position  given 
him  bj'  virtue  of  his  authority,  modifies  it  with  a  kindly  interest  in  each  man. 
Moreover,  the  seminary,  as  a  rule,  contains  no  men  who  have  not  the  interest  of  th« 
subject  discussed  at  heart. 

(3)  Amongst  associations  for  special  literary  and  scientific  pursuits 
none  call  for  more  caieful  consideration  than  the  venerable  Philomathean 
and  Zelosophic  Societies. 

The  active  roll  of  the  Philomathean  society  has  included  a  m;iiority  of 
the  prominent  alumni  of  the  University,  amongst  whom  may  be  men- 
tioned Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  Uuit4.'d 
States;  Henry  H.  Reed,  vice-provost  and  professor  in  the  University; 
Hon.  George  Sharswood,  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  the  eminent  physicist.  Prof.  John  Fries  Frazer,  vice-provost  of  the 
University;  Hon.  H.  D  Gilpin,  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States; 
the  eminent  divines.  Rev.  James  Lloyd  Breck  and  Rev.  W.  Ilobart  Hare; 
Mr.  Joseph  Wliarton,  founder  of  the  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and 
Economy;  Dr.  William  Pepper,  the  present  provostof  the  University; 
many  of  the  trustees,  officers  of  the  University,  and  others. 

"Philo,"  as  the  society  is  afiectionately  called  by  the  students,  is  com- 
fortably housed  in  two  laige  rooms  on  the  top  floor  of  the  College  Hall, 
and  preserves  ou  her  walls  many  curious  mementoes  of  her  past.    Chief 


414  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

among  these  is  a  model  of  the  famous  Rosetta  stone,  the  publication  of 
an  account  of  which  and  its  deciphermentwas  one  of  the  glories  of  the 
society's  work.  The  model  stands  in  a  miual  glass  case,  and  is  accom- 
panied by  an  autograph  letter  highly  commending  the  work  of  the  so- 
ciety in  philological  research  from  Baron  Alexander  von  Humboldt, 
dated  Berlin,  March  12, 1859.  However  much  the  scholarship  of  mod- 
ern specialists  may  look  askance  ui»on  this  ambitious  undertaking,  we 
can  not  but  commend  the  zeal  of  these  youthful  investigators  and  the 
taste  displayed  in  their  sumptuous  publication  of  the  results  of  their 
labors. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  society  to  hold  an  annual  commencement  in 
June,  at  which  diplomas  are  awarded  to  members  of  the  graduating 
class.  Prize  contests  in  debate  and  essay  writing  are  held  each  March, 
and  of  late  yeaf-s  the  biennial  celebration  has  become  an  entertaining 
feature  in  the  life  of  the  society. 

The  Zelosophic  Society  had  its  origin  in  a  spirit  of  praiseworthy 
emulation  to  rival  and  if  possible  surpass  the  PhUomathean.  It  was 
founded  October  29, 1829,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Alexander  Dallas 
Bache,  professor  in  the  University  from  1828  to  1844.  The  society  en- 
joyed a  long  and  honorable  career,  numbering  among  its  active  mem- 
bers the  Rev.  William  H.  Odenheimer,  Bishop  of  New  Jersey;  Col. 
Washington  C.  Tevis,  of  the  Turkish  army;  Mr.  John  B.  Gest,  presi- 
dent of  the  Society  of  the  Alumni  of  the  University;  Prof.  Francis  A. 
Jackson;  Charles  Stille,  and  several  prominent  trustees,  officers  of  the 
University,  and  others.  It  is  interesting  to  not«  that  this  society  has 
been  vigorously  revived  within  the  last  year. 

The  foundation  of  literary  and  debating  societies  within  the  Univer- 
sity was  no  unusual  matter;  but  they  were  generally  class  organiza- 
tions and  of  short  continuance.  The  numerous  temporary  and  informal 
associations  for  study  among  the  students  need  call  for  no  mention  here. 

For  an  account  of  the  various  Archaeological  Societies,  the  Lecture 
Association,  the  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching, 
and  others,  which  are  all  of  them  rather  outgrowths  than  organizations 
strictly  within  the  University,  the  reader  must  be  referred  to  the 
various  chai>ters  of  this  work  in  which  each  finds  special  treatment. 

While  the  bibliography  of  the  University  w«ill  be  found  elsewhere, 
there  have  been  a  number  of  publications,  arising  so  peculiarly  out  of 
student  life,  or  proceeding  from  the  alumni,  that  we  can  not  but  feel 
that  this  is  the  proper  place  in  which  to  mention  them.  As  early  as 
1S34  the  Zelosophic  Magazine  appeared  under  the  auspices  of  the 
society  of  that  name,  and  continued  from  April  of  that  year  to  August, 
1835.  It  was  published  bimonthly,  and  while  somewhat "  solid"  for  our 
present  conception  of  a  student's  publication,  is  an  exceedingly  credit- 
able production.  From  the  records  of  the  two  societies  it  appears  it 
had  long  been  the  custom  of  both  to  publish — or  rather  utter — a  weekly 
manuscript  paper,  which  was  read  by  the  editor  at  the  meetings  of  the 


ORGANIZATIONS   WITHIN   THE    UNIVERSITY.  415 

societies.  To  this  class  of  productions  belonged  the  Mummy  Monster, 
which  continued  from  the  year  1847  to  1850,  and  its  opponent,  the  Boule 
Dogue.  Their  contents  may  be  described  by  the  single  word  facetiotis, 
and  in  some  shape  they  have  continued  in  tlie  pra<'tice  of  the  Philoma- 
thean  Society  at  least  ever  since.  According  to  the  Red  and  Blue,  to 
whose  interesting  account  of  student  journalism  we  are  indebted  for 
much  of  what  follows,  a  small  pamphlet  bearing  the  title  of  Pons  Asino- 
rum  was  published— this  time  printed— by  the  Philomathean  Society 
in  1854.  Its  title  sufficiently  indicates  its  character.  It  never  reached 
a  second  number. 

lu  March,  1869,  a  modest  little  magazine  of  a  very  difterent  nature 
ai)peared,  entitled,  "The  University,  a  literary  monthly  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania."  There  is  really  consid- 
erable merit  in  this  publication,  and  its  list  of  contributors  included 
many  prominent  names  connected  with  the  college  department  of  that 
date.  Unfortunately  before  The  University  had  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  nativity  of  a  second  issue,  a  burlesque  fac  simile  in  style  of  print 
and  color  of  cover,  entitled,  "The  University,  a  subterranean  monthly, 
devoted,  like  its  mundane  predecessor,  to  bringing  its  editors  Ijefore 
the  public,"  succeeded  by  the  cleverness  of  its  parody  and  satire  in  giv- 
ing the  coup  de  grace  to  its  unhappy  victim. 

Although  the  Penn  Monthly  emanated  chiefly  from  University 
men  and  was  often,  if  erroneously,  regarded  as  the  organ  of  the 
University,  a  consideration  of  the  long  career  of  that  highly  successfiil 
magazine  belongs  not  here,  and  a  mention  of  it  is  only  justified  by  the 
fact  that  it  is  likely  that  its  existence  for  years  precluded  the  necessity 
of  a  more  purely  University  publication. 

At  length,  November  1,  1875  the  University  Magazine  was  founded 
by  the  Philomathean  Society  as  an  organ  of  the  students  and  enjoyed 

-  a  continued  and  prosperous  career,  as  a  monthly,  until  1881,  and  as  a 
bimonthly  until  its  absorption  into  its  successor,  the  Peunsylvanian. 
All  honor  is  due  to  the  liberal  policy  of  the  Philomatheitn  Society  in  thus 
sacrificing  its  individual  interests  to  the  needs  of  the  students  for  a  news- 
paper throughly  representative  of  the  entire  University.  Contempor- 
ary with  the  University  Magazine  api)eared  an  illustrated  college  pajxr 
of  facetious  turn  entitled  Chaft',  which  ran  successfully  from  September, 
1883,  to  June,  1885,  and  was  discontinued  because  no  undergraduates 
could  be  found  willing  to  continue  its  public^ition.    The  Peunsylvanian 

.had  its  inception  in  the  desire  for  a  paper  more  truly  representative  of 
the  whole  body  of  the  students  thi(n  was  possible  in  any  publication  of 
a  single  society.  The  Peunsylvanian  has  appeared  weekly  since  its 
establishment  in  December,  1885,  and  long  ably  fulfilled  its  purpose. 
In  March,  1889,  The  Red  and  Blue  appeared,  with  the  avowetl  pur- 
pose of  supplying  the  literary  qualities  which  the  Peunsylvanian  had 
felt  compelled  to  sacrifice  largely  to  its  purpose  of  becoming  a  pur- 
veyor of  news.    Both  papers  have  since  eaijoyed  a  success  consistent 


416  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

with  the  prosperity  of  each.    Lastly,  an  able  rival  to  both  has  arisen 
in  the  University  Courier. 

The  University  Record,  although  published  by  a  committee  of  each 
senior  class,  serves  the  double  purpose  of  an  index  and  chronicle  of  the 
chief  events  of  undergraduate  life,  and  of  a  sort  of  literary  Saturnalia, 
in  which  wits  of  each  class  may  seek  satisfaction  for  the  long  restraints 
of  their  college  course.  For  the  most  part  decorum  has  been  preserved 
in  these  publications,  and  no  policy  could  be  more  abhorrent  alike  to 
American  and  University  traditions  than  any  attempt  on  the  part  of 
the  authorities  to  restrain  them.  The  earliest  Record  was  that  of  the 
class  of  1872.  For  the  bibliography  of  the  professional  schools,  and 
the  contributions  of  members  of  the  various  faculties  to  science,  the 
reader  must  be  referred  to  the  special  chapter  of  this  work  on  the  bib- 
liography of  the  University. 

(4)  The  Musical  and  Dramatic  Societies  of  the  University,  which 
form  so  interesting  a  feature  of  college  life,  are  for  the  most  part  of  quit€ 
recent  growth.  We  are  not,  however,  without  traditions  of  at  least 
two  very  early  j)erformances.  In  1757  a  number  of  the  students  and 
scholars,  with  very  just  applause,  performed  the  Masque  of  Alfred,  by 
way  of  oratorical  exercise,  before  the  Earl  of  Loudon,,  and  the  govern-  ■ 
ors  of  the  several  colonies.  And  at  the  commencement  of  1759,  besides 
"  a  dialogue  and  an  ode,  i)oems,  disputations  in  Latin  and  English,  and 
the  delivery  of  theses,  music  was  furnished  by  the  Orpheus  Club  of  the 
College,  and  by  his  Majesty's  Marine  Band."  In  short,  from  time  to  time 
throughout  the  earlier  history  of  the  University,  the  College  Glee,  and 
the  College  Drama,  flourished  with  an  intermittent  existence.  By  the 
year  1876  the  College  Glee  Club  had  become  an  established  fact,  and 
through  many  vicissitudes  and  reorganizations,  has  continued  to  the 
present  writing.  As  early  as  1877  a  College  Orchestra  existed,  but 
after  a  short  time  it  was  suffered  to  lapse  into  silence;  and  it  was  not 
until  .January,  1887,  that  the  University  Orchestra,  a  far  larger  or- 
ganization, took  its  place.  Few  college  entertainments  are  now  consid- 
ered complete  without  the  assistance  of  these  or  others  of  the  minor 
musical  bodies.  Of  the  more  recent,  the  University  Drai^atic  Club 
deserves  mention.  This  society  was  extremely  successful  between  1878 
and  1886.  Of  late  years,  the  Mask  and  Wig,  organized  on  the  model 
of  the  Hasty  Pudding  Club  of  Harvard,  has  met  with  unexampled 
success,  and  taken  college  theatricals  quite  out  of  the  limits  of  amateur 
performance.  , 

It  is  perhaps  fitting  to  speak  hereof  the  Acharnians  of  Aristophanes 
so  successfully  performed  l)y  students  of  the  University,  although  not 
within  any  special  dramatic  organization.  One  of  the  daily  papers 
spoke  thus  of  the  first  performance.  May  14,  1886 : 

The  vitality  which  attaches  to  a  work  of  art  of  the  first  order  has  not  often  more 
vivid  prot)f  than  was  furnished  by  the  gennine  8ncc(>ss  of  this  revival,  after  a  lapse 
of  some  twenty  centnries,  for  the  second  recorded  representatittn  of  the  Attic  com- 
edy.    •     •     »     The  success  of  the  representation  was  complete.    Performed  as  it 


ORGANIZATIONS   WITHIN   THE    UNIVERSITY.  417 

was,  with  brilliant  efficiency  in  every  respect,  forcibly  and  intelligently  neUnl,  richly 
mounted  and  handsomely  costumed,  4ihe  Greek  play  wa«  a  credit  to  all  who  wpr« 
concerned  in  its  performance,  and  through  them  to  the  University  of  which  they  wore 
the  representatives. 

It  is  interesting  to  remember  that  the  proceeds  ol  the  i>erformance  of 
the  Acharnians  in  New  York  was  devoted  to  the  American  Classical 
School  at  Athens. 

(5)  The  earliest  recognition  of  the  value  of  athletics  in  the  history  of 
the  University  comes  from  no  less  a  person  than  its  illustrious  founder, 
Benjamin  Franklin.  In  liis  "  Proposals  Relative  to  the  Education  of 
Youth  in  Pennsylvania,"  written  in  1749,  Dr.  Franklin  utters  these 
memorable  words  concerning  the  iuture  student:  "To  keep  them  iu 
health  and  to  strengthen  and  render  active  their  bodies,  let  them  be 
frequently  exercised  in  running,  leaping,  wrestUng,  and  swimming." 
This  injunction,  however,  led  to  no  organization  of  which  we  have  any 
knowledge  until  far  later. 

In  the  year  1873  g,n  athletic  association  was  formed  among  the  under- 
graduates for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  college  athletics  in  general, 
but  especially  what  are  known  as  track  athletics.  This  association 
was  incorporated  in  1883.  Far  earlier  than  this,  however,  great 
interest  had  been  shown  amongst  the  students  in  rowing,  a  mat- 
ter attested  by  the  formation  of  a  college  boat  club  iu  1854.  This 
association  was  reorganized  in  1872,  and  incorporated  November  13, 
1875,  and  soon  after  took  possession  of  its  present  boathouse  on  the 
Schuylkill  Kiver.  This  gave  a  new  impetus  to  rowing  interests  in  the 
University,  which  has  since  continued  one  of  the  favorite  athletic  pas- 
times of  the  students.  Other  sports  have  flourished  at  the  Univer- 
sity; football,  played  as  far  back  as  the  sixties,  and  organized  into  a 
regular  association .  soon  after  1870;  cricket,  which  has  flourished 
intermittently  from  a  very  early  time;  and  others,  all  of  which  are 
carried  on  by  means  of  fixed  organizations  among  the  students  at 
large  or  those  of  a  particular  class,  and  have  led  to  the  formation 
of  a  multitude  of  clubs,  interesting  to  the  general  reader  alone  from 
their  indication  of  the  prosperous  condition  of  athletics  among  the 
students  of  the  Ujiiversity. 

Under  a  new  and  recent  constitution  the  active  management  of  ath- 
letics is  left,  as  much  as  possible,  in  the  hands  of  undergriMluate«,  while 
a  permanent  body  of  graduates  is  provided  to  act  in  an  advisory  capju-ity. 

All  these  athletic  clubs  work  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  Depart- 
ment of  Physical  Education,  which  while  exercising  a  wise  super 
vision,  seekM  not  to  interfere  with  the  independence  of  the  stu- 
dents in  their  pastimes.  Many  intercollegiate  societies  and  leiigues 
exist  moreover  to  which  our  various  athletic  associations  are  parties 
and  by  which  the  opportunity  for  contest  is  extended  beyond  the  Uni- 
versity itself. 

(6)  Lastly,  we  reach  associations  for  purely  social  purposes,  including 

1180 27 


418  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

the  Greek-letter  societies.  In  the  life  of  a  university,  associations  of 
this  class  are  of  course  innumerable  and  of  the  greatest  possible  diver- 
sity of  character,  from  the  casual  group  of  classmates  or  other  asso- 
ciates to  the  formal  club  or  fraternity  with  its  completely  appointed 
clubhouse.  Opposition  to  fraternities  has  never  formed  part  of  the 
policy  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  j  and  it  can  not  be  denied  that 
the  influence  of  these  societies  which  has  been  constant  for  the  last 
forty  years,  has  done  much  to  foster  that  esprit  de  corps  so  valuable  to 
the  fullness  and  profit  of  university  life,  and  so  often  lost  in  colleges 
domiciled  in  our  great  cities. 

Upwards  of  a  score  of  Greek-letter  societies  have  at  differeut  times 
flourished  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  of  which  four  were 
founded  during  the  period  from  1849  to  1854:  the  rest  after  1877. 
There  are  at  present  writing  eleven  general  fraternities ;  two  medical 
fraternities;  one  legal  fraternity;  one  dental  fraternity;  a  "sorority," 
and  the  recently  founded  Phi  Beta  Kappa,  to  which  members  of  the 
senior  class  in  the  college  department  are  elected  for  scholarship  each 
year.  Several  of  these*  societies  have  handsome  clubhouses.  Many 
have  permanent  organizations  and  all  have  well  appointed  rooms.  It 
is  estimated  that  upwards  of  1,700  students  of  the  University  have 
been  members  of- the  various  Greek-letter  societies  since  1849. 

Whilst  the  nature  of  fraternities  causes  any  inquiry  into  their  organ- 
ization to  become  an  impertinence,  it  may  be  remarked  that  in  gen 
eral  these  organizations  follow  the  usual  details  of  establishment 
and  management  of  the  more  widely  known  secret  societies.    In  all  the 
social  element  is  the  most  prominent,  but,  as  we  have  seen,  professional 
fraternities  exist  and  in  not  a  few  of  the  others  is  to  be  found  a  con- 
siderable infusion  of  the  literary  spirit.    We  have  already  mentioned 
the  value  of  these  societies  in  fostering  that  esjyrit  de  corps,  which  is 
the  very  heart  of  university  life;  and  to  this  must  be  added  the  spirit 
of  emulation  among  the  fraternities  to  possess  themselves  of  a  mem 
bership  representative  of  the  scholarship  as  well  as  the  social  and 
athletic  prominence  of  their  members.    In  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania fraternity  spirit  has  never  exceeded  University  spirit.    Noth- 
ing better  indicates  this  more  serious  trend  than  the  recent  founda 
tion  of  "the  Phi  Kappa  Sigma  Fraternity  prize  in    honor  of  their 
founder,  Samuel  Brown  Wylie  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  of  the  class  of  1852,  for 
the  best  work  in  English  composition,  done  during  the  year  by  a  mem 
ber  of  the  Sophomore  class." 

There  are  besides  the  above  groups  a  few  organizations  of  very 
diverse  nature,  incai)able  of  any  classification.  Among  the  number  is 
the  chess  club,  which  has  existed  since  very  early  times.  The  camera 
club  is  of  course  a  comparatively  recent  organization.  Nor  has  the 
subject  of  religion  been  neglected  among  the  students;  for  there  has 
always  been  some  more  or  less  formal  association  amongst  them  de 
voted  to  such  matters.    A  church  club  was  founded  in  1889,  and  in  1890 


ORGANIZATIONS    WITHIN   THE   UNIVERSITY.  419 

a  branch  of  the  Intercollegiate  Young  Men's  Christian  A88ociati<»n  was 
organized  and  is  now  in  active  usefulness. 

We  have  thus  before  us  a  brief  view  of  many  of  the  chief  or/»aniza- 
tions  in  which  the  students  and  alumni  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania have  at  dift'erent  times  been  banded  for  those  varietl  jmrsuits 
which  arise  out  of  the  complex  elements  of  the  life  of  a  great  univer- 
sity. While  the  outer  world  hears  more  of  colbge  athletics  than  of 
any  other  college  organizations,  the  most  cursory  examination  of  the 
facts  stated  above  must  show  that  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
at  least,  although  athletics  receive  that  ample  attention  which  is  their 
due,  there  is  no  neglect  of  the  gentler  and  more  scholarly  pursuits 
which  arise  in  hundreds  of  differing  forms  from  the  multiform  curric- 
ulum of  the  college  and  the  professional  schools.  Scholarships,  ath- 
letics, and  good  fellowshii>,  are  the  three  elements  which,  in  pro|>er 
proportion,  go  to  make  up  the  constitution  of  a  healthily  constituted 
academic  body;  the  preponderance  of  any  one  is  abnormal,  and  it  is 
only  in  their  perfect  equii)oise  that  we  can  look  for  the  best  results.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  an  examination  of  the  foregoing  pages  may  have 
shown  that  there  has  long  been  a  clear  recognition  among  the  students 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  of  the  proportionate  claims  of  each. 


Chapter  XXVI. 
THE  ALUMNI  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


The  subject  of  the  Alumni  of  the  University  has  been  divided  into  the 
three  heads  of  the  bar,  science,  and  a  history  of  the  central  committee. 
But  for  the  lamented  death  of  Prof.  J.  G.  E.  McEIroy  there  would  have 
been  added  to  this  a  history  of  tliose  distinguished  in  the  church,  a  rich 
field-  for  the  historian,  but  one  which  no  other  member  of  the  committee 
feels  competent  to  treat.  From  the  very  nature  of  this  work  any  ex- 
tended biography  was  impossible,  and  the  greatest  difficulty  of  the  writ- 
ers has  been  to  avoid  doing  injustice  to  tlie  memories  of  distinguished 
alumni  either  by  too  scant  a  notice  or  by  omission. 

In  spite  of  these  honest  eflbrts,  however,  there  is  a  host  of  names 
worthy  to  command  the  respect  and  interest  of  the  world,  but  which 
space  was  lacking  to  include. 

ALUMNI   OF   THE   COLLEGE  DEPARTMENT  WHO  WERE  DISTINGUISHED 

AT   THE   BAR.' 

The  graduates  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  including  under 
that  title  the  College  of  Philadelphia,  by  which  name  the  institution 
was  known  before  it  was  enlarged  to  a  university,  who  have  distiii- 
guislied  themselves  at  the  bar  and  on  the  bench  are  numerous.  In 
this  paper  it  is  proposed  to  mention  some  of  them  whose  achievements 
are  worthy  of  more  than  a  mere  passing  note. 

At  the  outset  we  wish  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  as  we  have 
b'een  requested  to  write  of  alumni  of  the  College  (or,  as  it  is  now  absurdly 
and  clumsily  called,  the  College  Department)  we  have  included  its  gradu- 
ates only,  and  have  paid  no  attention  whatever  to  the  alumni  of  the  Law 
School  of  the  University.  We  wish  further  to  state  that  it  has  not  been 
thought  proper  to  enter  upon  any  extended  account  of  any  living  gradu- 
ate, not,  be  it  distinctly  understood,  in  obedience  to  Schiller's  advice, 
"Let  the  night  come  before  we  praise  the  day,"  but  because  to  select 
from  the  great  number  of  distinguished  and  reputable  members  of  the 
bar  who  claim  the  College  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  as  their 
alma  mater  any,  while  excluding  others,  would  be  a  most  invidious  and 
distasteful  task. 

It  is  certainly  not  saying  too  much,  or  giving  undue  credit,  to  say 
that  no  bar  in  the  country  has  been  more  distinguished  for  the  attain- 

'  By  Henry  Budd,  A.  M. 
420 


THE   ALUMNI   OF   THE   UNIVERSITY.  421 

iiieiits  and  character  of  its  members  tli^n  the  bar  of  tlie  city  of  Phila- 
delphia. , 

That  bar  nas  been  very  largely  sni)plied  and  recruited  from  a  very 
early  date  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  many  of  the  great 
ones  of  the  Philadelphia  bench,  Tilghman,  Sharswood,Oadwalader,  and 
others  have  come  forth  from  her,  while  other  of  her  gi-aduates  are  ftmnd 
ou  the  bench  and  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  bar  in  places  far  from  that 
in  which  she  imbued  them  with  a  liberal  education  and  ma<le  them  tit 
to  enter  u^on  the  study  of  jurisprudence. 

In  the  very  first  class  graduated  by  the  College,  that  of  1757,  we  find 
one  who,  excellent  lawyer  though  he  was,  is,  perhaps,  even  better  known 
as  a  distinguished  jiatriot  iu  the  times  when  our  right  to  liberty  was 
vindicated  and  as  a  charming  writer  of  light  and  witty  productions, 
^Francis  Hopkinson,  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  judge 
of  the  admiralty  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  the  United  States  district 
court,  and  author  of  "The  battle  of  the  kegs."  Hopkinson  was  bom 
in  Philadelphia  in  1737,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1765.  Before 
the  Eevolution  he  was  the  royal  collector  for  the  port  of  New  Castle 
and  was  a  member  of  the  council  of  the  governor  of  New  Jersey.  He 
lost  his  appointments,  naturally  enough,  through  his  devotion  to  the 
patriot  cause.  He  was  elected  to  the  Continental  Congress  in  1776, 
and,  as  a  member  of  that  body,  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence. In  1779  he  became  judge  of  the  admiralty  for  Pennsylvania. 
Some  of  his  judgments  in  admiralty  were  published  in  1789  in  a  book, 
of  which  John  William  Wallace,  in  The  Reporters,  says: 

The  first  of  these  two  vohiines  contains  but  six  cases,  which  if  they  are  enough  to 
entitle  the  book  to  rank  as  a  volnme  of  reports,  gives  to  it  perhaps  the  right  of  lieiug 
regarded  as  the  first  volume  of  reports  ever  published  in  the  United  States. 

On  the  organization  of  the  federal  judiciary,  Judge  Hopkinson  was 
appointed  by  President  Washington  judge  of  the  United  States  dis- 
trict court  for  Pennsylania.  He  did  not,  however,  long  fill  that  office, 
as  he  died  May  9,  1791. 

In  the  next  year,  1758,  the  College  had  no  graduating  class,  but  the 
class  of  the  year  1759  contributed  its  full  <iuota  to  the  roll  of  legal  di.s- 
tinction.  In  it  was  Andrew  Allen,  attorney-general  of  Pennsylvania 
from  1709  to  1770,  recorder  of  Pliiladolphia  from  1774  to  1776,  member 
of  the  provincial  council  of  Pennsylvania,  and  memlx'rofthc  Conti- 
nental Congress.  And  William  Paca,  born  in  Maryland  in  1740  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1700;  the  next  year  he  l)ecame  a  membiM'  of  the 
Provincial  Assembly  of  his  native  State.  He  became  a  dclegatr  to  the 
Continental  Congress  in  1774  and  was  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  In  1778  he  became  chief  justice  of  Maryland  and  left 
the  bench 'in  1782,  on  being  elected  governor  of  the  State,  which  office 
he  held  until  1780,  when  he  retired  to  private  life,  from  which  he  was 
draAvn  in  1788  to  become  a  member  of  the  ratification  convention  of 
Maryland.  In  1789  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  L'uiU-d  States  dis- 
trict court  for  Maryland;  he  dietl  in  1799. 


422  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  next  class,  1760,  contained  Robert  Goldsborough,  attorney-jjen- 
eral  of  Maryland  and  member  of  tl^e  Continental  Congress. 

In  1701  we  find  Ilicliard  Peters,  who  was  born  in  1743,  entered  the 
Revolutionary  army  and  was  a  captain  therein.  He  was  taken,  how- 
ever, from  the  field  and  made  secretaryof  the  continental  board  of  war. 
In  1782  he  became  a  member  of  Congress,  and  after  the  conclusion  of 
the  war  was  a  member  of  the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania  and  its  speaker 
from  1788  to  1790.  In  1790  he  became  speaker  of  the  State  senate  and 
in  1791  was  appointed  judge  of  the  United  States  district  court  for 
Pennsylvania,  which  office  he  held  until  his  death  in  1828.  In  the 
same  class  was  Jasper  Yeates,  who  was  a  justice  of  the  supreme  court 
of  Pennsylvania  from  ,1791  until  his  death  in  1817,  a  learned  and  able 
judge,  whose  reports,  in  four  volumes,  are  amongst  the  earliest  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Abraham  Ogden,  attorney-general  of  New  Jersey. 

In  the  graduating  list/or  1763  we  meet  with  the  name  of  John  Dick- 
inson Sergeant,  attorney-general  of  Pennsylvania  from  1777  to  1780, 
and  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress.  In  1766,  we  find  James 
Tilghman,  attorney-general  of  Maryland  in  1776  and  a  judge  of  the  court 
of  appeals  of  that  State  from  1804  to  1809. 

In  1767  was  graduated  one  of  the  greatest  lawyers  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  country,  Edward  Tilghman,  perhaps  the  most  i)rofoundly 
learned  lawyer,  without  being  a  mere  scholar  and  theorist,  who  has 
appeared  in  Pennsylvania;  he  was  born  in  Maryland  in  1750  and  died 
in  Philadelphia  in  1815;  his  life  was  devoted  to  the  bar;  the  chief-jus- 
ticeship of  the  State  was  offered  to  and  was  declined  by  him,  but  it  would 
be  hard  to  say  whether  any  office  could  have  heightened  the  reverence 
with  w^hich  his  memory  is  regarded  by  the  i)rofession  in  Pennsylvania. 

Another  Tilghman,  the  great  chief  justice,  is  also  to  be  credited  to  the 
University.  It  seems  well  established  that  he  ent-ered  the  College,  but 
there  is  no  record  of  his  graduation.  Nevertheless,  Horace  Binney, 
who  knew  the  chief  justice,  and  who  was  on  terms  of  intimacy  with 
Edward  Tilghman,  says  in  his  Leaders  of  the  Old  Bar  that  William 
Tilghman  was  graduated  by  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  this 
he  is  followed  by  Mr.  David  Paul  Brown  in  The  Forum,  and  when  it  is 
remembered  that  the  records  of  the  University  about  the  time  at  whicli 
Tilghman  would  naturally  have  been  graduated,  if  at  all,  were  not  kept 
with  that  care  which  should  distingTiish  such  records,  we  think  that 
great  consideration  is  due  to  the  statement  of  Mr.  Binney.  Tilghman 
was  born  in  Maryland  in  1756;  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  in  1783 
became  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Maryland.  In  1801  he  was 
appointed  justice  of  the  United  States  circuit  court  for  the  third 
circuit,  but  that  court,  the  only  one  of  the  circuit  courts  which  came 
into  being  under  President  Adams  whose  decisions  have  been  honored 
by  preservation  in  reports,  was  swept  away  in  a  short  time  on  the  com- 
ing into  power  of  the  anti-Federal  party.  Tilghman  then  returned  to  the 
bar,  but  in  1805  was  made  president  judge  of  the  common  pleas  for 
Philadelphia,  from  which  office  ho  was  in  1806  promoted  to  the  chief- 


THE   ALUMNI   OF  THE   UNIVERSITY.  423 

jiistioesliii)  of  the  State,  after  it  bad  been  decliiied  by  his  relative,  Ed- 
ward Til^hraau.  In  this  oflBcelie  niado  a  great  reputation,  earned  by 
bis  learning,  industry,  and  ability.  In  the  first  ten  years  of  bis  justice- 
sbip  be  delivered  opinions  in  all  but  four  of  tbecases  which  were  argued 
before  the  court.  He  remained  chief  justice  until  his  death  in  1827. 
Speaking  of  him  and  referring  to  bis  api)ointment  by  President  Adams, 
Mr.  D.  P.  Brown  says : 

He  \V^a8  one  of  the  midnight  judges,  as  they  were  called,  bnt  it  may  be  tnily  said 
that  no  midday  judge  ever  surpassed  him  in  the  luster  of  his  official  career  or  will 
survive  him  in  the  memory  of  all  by  whom  he  was  known. 

The  class  of  1769  contained  John  D.  Coxe,  who  was  president  judge 
of  the  court  of  common  pleas  of  Philadelphia  from  1^00  to  180(>;  the 
class  of  1772,  Moses  Levy,  distinguished  as  a  wit  as  well  as  a  lawyer, 
who  closed  a  brilliant  career  as  president  judge  of  the  district  court  of 
Philadelphia  fi^om  1822  to  1826. 

In  1773  we  find  Joshua  Seney,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  and  also  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  after  the  adop. 
tion  of  the  Constitution;  in  1775,  Henry  Ridgely,  chief  justice  of  the 
fourth  judicial  district  of  Maryland  from  1796  to  1806,  and  judge  of  the 
third  district  from  1806  until  his  death  in  1811 ;  in  1776,  William  C<x:ke, 
judge  of  a  circuit  court  in  Tennessee  and  United  States  Senator  from 
that  State  from  1796  to  1805. 

In  1780  was  graduated  Samuel  Sitgreaves,  a  mend)er  of  Congress 
ironi  1795  to  1798,  and  in  1793  a  commissioner  under  the  treaty  with 
Great  Britain. 

The  class  of  1782  contained  Joseph  Borden  McKean,  attorney-general 
of  Pennsylvania  from  1800  to  1808,  and  afterwai'ds  president  judge  «f 
the  district  court  of  Philadelphia,  and  James  Kelly  and  William  Ken- 
nedy, both  members  of  Congress. 

In  1786  the  name  of  Joseph  Hopkinson,  a  son  of  Francis  Hopkinson, 
who  seems  to  have  inherited  both  the  legal  and  literary  ability  of  his 
father,  appears.  He  was  born  in  Pbiladelj>bia  in  1770  and  began  the 
practice  of  law  at  Easton;  he  soon,  however,  returned  to  Philadelphia 
and  rapidly  acquired  distinction  atthe  bar.  He  was  counsel  for  Dr.  Rush 
in  his  libel  suit  against  Cobbett,  and  for  Judge  Chase  when  impeached 
before  the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  In  1815  he  entere«l  Congress 
and  served  until  1819.  In  1828  he  was  appointed  judge  of  Uiv  United 
States  district  court  for  the  eastern  district  of  Pennsylvania,  which 
office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1842.  He  was  a  man  of  fine 
artistic  and  scientific  tastes  and  of  literary  ability.  He  was  presi<lent  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts,  a  member  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society,  and  we  owe  to  him  the  national  anthem  Hail  Co- 
lumbia. In  the  same  class  was  Robert  Porter,  a  president  judge  of  the 
common  ideas  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Jonathan  William  Condy,  who  was 
clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  1797  to  1800. 

In  1787  we  find  George  Dufiield,  judge  of  the  United  States  court  for 
the  Territory  of  Orleans  in  1805.     In  1789  Ciesar  Augustus  Eodney, 


424  THE   ITfTVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Attorney-General  of  the  United  States  from  1807  to  1811,  member  of 
Congress,  United  States  Senator,  and  United  States  minister  to  Buenos 
Ayres,  in  which  phice  he  died;  in  1791  Joseph  Hemphill,  who  was  pres- 
ident jndge  of  the  district  court  of  Philadelphia  in  1811  and  member  of 
Congress  for  several  terms. 

The  class  of  1792  contained  Frederick  Smith,  attorney-general  of 
Pennsylvania  from  1823  to  1828,  and  justice  of  the  snpreme  court  of 
that  State  from  1828  until  his  death  in  1830;  David  B.  Ogden,  of  New 
York,  and  Bird  Wilson,  who,  after  rising  to  the  bench,  abandoned  the 
law  for  the  church,  and  was  for  many  years  professor  in  the  General 
Theological  Seminary  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

In  1795  we  find  the  distinguished  lawyer  Zalegman  Phillips;  in  1803 
John  Fox,  president  judge  of  the  Bucks  County  circuit  in  Pennsylva- ' 
nia;  in  1805  Thomas  Kittera,  who  became  a  member  of  Congress;  in  1807 
Thomas  I.  Wharton;  in  1808  Charles  Sydney  Coxe,  a  judge  of  the  dis- 
trict court  of  Philadelphia  from  1826  to  1835,  and  Philemon  Dickerson, 
member  of  Congress,  chancellor  and  governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  judge 
of  the  United  States  district  court  for  New  Jersey. 

In  1811  was  graduated  Richard  Biddle,  who,  going  from  Philadelphia, 
found  distinction  at  the  Pittsburg  bar,  and  who  was  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  1837  to  1840. 

The  class  of  1812  had  upon  its  rolls  one  of  the  most  accomj)lished  law- 
yers that  the  United  States  have  produced,  William  M.  Meredith,  who 
at  the  Philadelphia  bar,  was  long  a  standing  encouragement  to  those 
industrious  and  studious  members  of  the  j)rofession  whom  success  did 
not  early  reward.  For  many  years  after  coming  to  the  bar  Mr.  Mere- 
dith toiled  early  and  late,  studied  hard,  and  was  almost  clientless,  but 
his  time  came  at  last,  his  abilities  were  recognized  as  of  superior  order, 
and  he  became  thdeader  of  the  bar  of  his  city.  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury of  the  United  States,  attorney-general  ot  Pennsylvania,  and  presi- 
dent of  its  constitutional  qonvention  of  1873.  When  the  counsel  were 
selected  to  represent  the  United  States  at  the  Geneva  arbitration,  Mr. 
Meredith  was  asked  by  President  Grant  to  be  one  of  them,  but  declined 
on  account  of  his  age  and  not  very  robust  health.  This  declination 
was  very  much  regretted,  as  there  was  perhaps  no  man  in  the  United 
States  better  fitted,  by  liis  vast  and  ready  knowledge  and  longcourse  of 
training  in  both  public  and  private  law,  to  present  and  uphold  the 
American  cause  before  the  memorable  tribunal  whose  aetion  dispensed 
with  all  necessity  for  a  resort  to  arms  to  enforce  our  just  claims.  The 
reverence  with  which  Mr.  Meredith  was  regarded  by  his  brethren 
toward  the  close  of  his  long  professional  career  wa«  very  marked, 
and  it  was  an  impressive  sight  to  see  the  court  and  bar  hanging  on 
his  words  as  they  proceeded  from  his  lips  in  feeble  tone,  but  bearing 
the  stamp  of  mental  force,  while  ])rofound  silence  reigned  in  the 
court  room.  Mr.  Meredith  died  in  1873,  while  president  of  the  con- 
vention which  framed  the  present  constitution  of  Pennsylvania.    In 


THE    ALUMNI   OP   THE    UNIVERSITY.  425 

tlie  same  class  with  Mr.  Meredith  was  John  M.  Bead,  who  had  a  very 
successful  career  both  at  the  bar  and  on  the  bench;  he  became  attoriiej-- 
general  of  Pennsylvania  in  1S4G,  a  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Penii  ■ 
sylvania  in  1860,  and  chief  justice  in  1873.     He  died  in  1875. 

In  the  class  of  1815  were  Thomas  McKean  Pettit,  judge  of  the  dis- 
trict court  of  Philadelphia  from  1831  to  1835,  and  president  thereof 
from  1835  to  1845,  and  Edward  Rawle,  a  judge  of  a  court  in  New  Or- 
leans. 

En  1817  we  find  John  N.  Conyngham,  a  president  judge  of  the  com- 
mon pleas  in  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1818  James  Muiray  Mason,  of  Vir- 
gini^i,  who  was  a  Senator  from  that  State,  and  afterwards  so  prominent 
a  statesman  upon  the  Confederate  side  during  the  Civil  war. 

The  cla^s  of  1819  bore  upon  its  list  two  men  of  high  distinction, 
Henry  Dilworth  Gilpin  and  Robert  James  Walker.  The  fonner  came 
to  the  bar  in  1822,  and  was  in  ia32  appointed  United  States  district 
attorney  for  Pennsylvania,  E.  D. ;  in  1837  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury, 
and  in  1840  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States.  At  the  close  of 
President  Van  Buren's  term  Mr.  Gilpin  retired  from  public  life  and  de- 
voted the  rest  of  his  days  to  his  profession,  history,  art,  and  general 
literature,  to  all  of  which  he  made  valuable  contributions,  and  to  travel. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  59,  leaving  behind  him  a  most  enviable  reputa- 
tion. Robert  J.  Walker,  the  author  of  the  Walker  Tariff,  and  one  of 
the  few  great  statesmen  that  our  country  has  produced,  was  United 
States  Senator  from  Mississippi,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  governor 
of  Kansas  Territory.  The  only  professional  appointment  held  by  Mr. 
Walker  seems  to  have  been  the  reportership  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Mississippi,  but  he  was  in  good  practice  and  concerned  in  important 
cases,  amongst  others  in  the  case  of  Grover  r.  Slaughter,  in  which  he 
was  of  counsel  for  the  Government,  as  the  colleague  of  his  classmate,  Mr. 
Gilpin. 

In  1820  were  Joseph  M.  Doran,  a  judge  of  the  common  pleas  of  Phil- 
adelphia from  1840  to  1843,  and  Francis  J.  Troubat,  one  of  the  authors 
of  the  standard  work  on  Pennsylvania  practice  known  jis  Troubat  and 
Haly's  Practice. 

In  the  class  of  the  next  year  we  meet  with  a  judge  of  most  remark- 
able character,  learning,  courage,  and  ability,  John  Cadwalador,  who 
was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1805,  came  in  due  time  to  the  bar,  and 
speedily  became  a  leader,  being  engaged  in  a  great  number  of  meet 
important  cases.  While  still  a  junior  he  was  engaged  in  the  great 
divorce  case  of  Butler  v.  Butler  as  junior  for  the  respondent,  Col.  Pierce 
Butler.  In  that  case  were  counsel  of  the  highest  order ;  amongst  othera 
George  M.  Dallas,  Rufus  Choate,  and  William  M.  ^^leretlith,  and  the 
writer  has  been  told  by  one  of  the  judges  who  tried  the  cause  that  the 
great  success  of  the  case  was  that  obtained  by  Mr.  Cadwalader,  esi^e- 
cially  in  his  cross-examination  of  Mrs.  Butler  (Fanny  Kemble).  In  1857, 
after  a  term  in  Congress,  Mr.  Cadwalader  left  the  bar  for  the  bench, 


426      .  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

having  been  appointed  by  Mr.  Buchanan  United  States  district  judge 
for  Pennsylvania,  E.  D.  The  breaking  out  of  the  war  threw  before 
our  courts  topics  with  which  they  had  not  before  had  to  deal  and 
subjected  them  to  a  severe  test,  and  in  the  opinion  of  competent  au- 
thority it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  although  a  judge  of  first  in- 
stance, Cadwalader's  was  the  leading  mind  in  determining  our  judicial 
policy  upon  questions  of  prize  during  the  rebellion.  Judge  Cadwalader 
remained  upon  the  bench  until  his  death  in  1879,  and  was  regarded  by 
many  as  a  model  judge,  and  all,  even  of  those  who  mistakenly,  it  seems 
to  us,  considered  him  arbitrary,  venerated  his  great  learning,  his  un- 
tiring industry,  his  uncompromising  fairness,  and  his  dauntless  courage. 
To  us  Cadwalader  seems  to  really  till  the  requirements  of  a  truly  great 
judge. 

In  the  same  class  were  Anthony  Laussat,  a  most  promising  young 
lawyer,  the  author  of  a  work  on  equity  in  Pennsylvania,  whose  early 
death  was  greatly  regretted,  and  in  whose  memory  the  Law  Academy  of 
Philadelphia  founded  a  prize;  John  Eichter  Jones,  a  judge  of  the  court 
of  common  ideas  of  Philadelphia,  who  fell  at  Gum  Swamp,  N.  C,  fight- 
for  the  Union  as  colonel  of  a  Pennsylvania  regiment,  and  Isaac  Norris, 
who  lived  to  be  the  senior  member  of  the  Philadelphia  bar  and  died  in 
1890. 

In  1822  we  meet  with  Jonas  Altamont  Phillips,  a  very  able  lawyer. 

In  1823  were  graduated  Persifor  Frazer  Smith,  reporter  of  the 
supreme  court  of  Pennsylvania  from  18GG  to  1880,  and  George  Mifflin 
Wharton,  a  lawyer  of  superlative  abilities.  The  only  office  held  by  Mr. 
Wharton  was  the  United  States  district  attorneyship  for  Pennsylvania, 
E.  D.,  from  1857  to  1860. 

In  the  class  of  1828  Avas  George  Shars\f  ood,  one  of  the  greatest  judges 
who  have  adorned  the  Pennsylvania  bench,  and  whose  reimtation  is 
greater  than  that  of  any  of  her  chief-justices,  except  Gibson  and  Tilgli- 
man  (and  it  is  questionable  whether  he  ought  not  to  be  ranked  higher 
than  the  latter) ;  a  man  who  combined  the  qualities  of  a  profound  jurist^ 
erudite  scholar,  original  thinker,  and  great  judge  at  nisi  jmus,  where 
the  strongest  qualities  of  both  man  and  judge  are  required  to  attain 
distinction,  where,  with  profound  learning,  must  go  quickness  of  decision 
and  power  of  applying  properly  that  learning,  and  wliere,  with  all.  there 
must  be  a  thorough  knowledge  of  men  and  human  nature,  coupled  with 
self-control  and  personal  dignity. 

Sharswood  was  born  in  1810,  in  due  time  came  to  the  bar,  and,  after 
a  short  career  in  tlie  legislature,  was  appointetl  a  judge  of  the  district 
court  of  Philadelphia,  a  court  in  which,  at  that  time,  all  the  common- 
law  cases,  except  those  of  minor  importance,  and  the  Federal  cases  of 
that  great  community  were  tried.  In  1848  he  was  promoted  to  the 
presidency  of  the  court,  which  soon  became  a  model  for  the  prompt 
dispatch  of  business  and  the  satisfactory  manner  in  which  its  cases 
were  tried.    In  18C7  Judge  Sharswood  was  elected  to  the   supreme 


THE   ALUMNI   OF   THE    UNIVERSITY.  427 

court,  and  in  1878  became  chief  justice  of  Pennsylvania.  He  retired 
in  1882,  and  shortly  after,  in  1883,  died.  Such  is  a  brief  summary  of 
his  judicial  life,  but  it  gives  little  idea  of  his  work.  Besides  his  labors 
in  law  and  in  political  science,  he  in  1850  reestablished  the  Law  St;ho<)l 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  legal  education  had  been 
in  abeyance  since  the  death  of  Judge  Wilson  in  1798,  and  remainetl  a 
professor  in  that  school  until  18G8. 

His  legal  wi-itings  are  numerous.  The  best  known  are  perhai)s  his 
Legal  Ethics  and  his  edition  of  Blackstone ;  beside  these  he  edited  Byles 
on  Bills,  Russell  on  Crimes,  Starkieon  Evidence,  and  many  other  Ixwks. 
The  last  work  with  which  his  name  is  associated  is  SharswfKxl  and 
Budd's  Leading  Cases  in  the  American  Law  of  Real  Property.  By  the 
plan  of  this  work  Judge  Sharswood  was  to  have  reviewed  the  work  of  bis 
colleague,  and  he  did  read  the  manuscript  of  the  lirst  volume,  but  before 
the  second  was  fairly  under  way  death  deprivedthe  junior  editor  of  the 
invaluable  aid  of  the  great  lawyer. 

He  died,  and  his  death  left  a  great  gap  in  Philadelphia  legal  society 
as  well  as  in  the  ranks  of  American  jurists,  for  few  men  were  so  well 
loved  at  the  same  time  that  they  were  honored  as  was  Chief- Justice 
Sharswood. 

In  the  class  of  1831  we  have  George  Augustus  Bicknell,  judge  of  the 
second  judicial  circuit  of  Indiana  from  1852  to  1876,  chief  of  the  com- 
mission of  the  supreme  court  in  1881,  i^rofessor  of  law  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Indiana  from  1861  to  1880,  and  member  of  Congress  from  1877 
to  1880,  and  Charles  E.  Lex,  a  highly  honored  member  of  the  Philadel- 
phia bar. 

In  1832  was  graduated  St.  George  Tucker  Campbell,  a  most  distin- 
guished lawyer;  in  1833,  William  Todd  Otto,  judge  of  the  circuit  court 
of  Indiana,  professor  in  the  law  school  of  the  university  of  the  same 
State,  arbitrator  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  under  the  convention 
with  Spain  in  1871,  and  reporter  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States.  In  the  same  class  was  John  William  Wallace,  Mr.  Otto's  pred- 
ecessor in  the  reportership,  president  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania  and  author  of  several  legal  writings,  including  that  de- 
lightful book.  The  Reporters.    Mr.  Wallace  died  in  1884. 

In  1834  we  have  J.  I.  Clark  Hare,  president  judge  of  the  district 
court  and  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  No.  2,  of  Philadelphia,  anjl  from 
1868  to  1889  professor  in  the  Law  School  of  the  University  of  Pcnsyl- 
vania.  In  1837,  The<jdore  Cuyler,  in  his  day  a  leader  of  the  Philadcl 
phia  bar  and  perhaps  the  foremost  railroad  lawyer  in  the  country.  In 
1839,  John  V.  Eustace,  judge  of  the  circuit  court  for  the  thirteenth  dis- 
trictofIllinois,andinthenextyear,1840,Martin  Russell  Thayer,  memlwr 
of  Congress,  a  judge  of  the  district  court  of  Philadelphia  and  president 
judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  No.  4  thereof;  in  1841,  Benjamin 
Markley  Boyer,  a  member  of  Congress,  a  president  judge  of  the  com- 
mon pleas  in  Pennsylvania  from  1883  until  his  death  in  1887  j  Frederick 


428  THE   UNIVERSITY   OP   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Carroll  Brewster,  judge  of  the  common  pleas  of  Philadelphia  and  attor- 
ney-general of  Pennsylvania,  and  William  Henry  Rawle,  so  well  known 
for  his  learning,  and  whose  Covenants  for  Title  established  for  hiur  a 
reputation  at  almost  the  very  outset  of  his  career.  In  1843  we  have 
Thomas  K.  Finletter,  president  judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  Xo. 
3  of  Philadelphia,  and  James  R.  Ludlow,  long  Judge  Finletter's  colleague 
on  the  bench  and  liis  predecessor  in  the  presidency  of  the  court,  who 
died  in  1886  after  a  judicial  service  of  thirty-one  years.  The  class  of 
1844  contained  Thomas  W.  Greenbank,  a  judge  of  the  district  court 
of  Philadelphia;  1849,  Christopher  Magee,  a  judge  of  the  common  pleas 
for  Allegheny  County,  Pa.;  1850,  Clement  B.  Penrose,  judge  of  the 
orphans'  court,  of  Philadelphia ;  1855,  E.  Coppee  Mitchell,  dean  of  the 
Law  School  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and  a  well-known  writer 
and  editor,  especially  of  works  on  the  law  of  real  estate;  1858,  George 
Tucker  Bispham,  professor  in  and,  for  a  short  time,  dean  of  the  same 
school;  in  I860,  another  professor  and  dean  of  the  same  school,  ( ". 
Stuart  Patterson;  and  1865,  Henry  Keed,  a  judge  of  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas  No.  3  of  Philadelphia,  and  Thomas  Mitchell,  judge  of  the 
first  judicial  district  of  Colorado. 


ALUMNI  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  WHO  WERE  XTlSTINGUISHED  IN  SCIENCE. ' 

In  considering  the  question  of  the  contributions  to  science  by  the 
graduates  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  it  must  be  conceded  that 
in  its  early  years  there  was  a  greater  incentive  to  scientific  research  in 
Philadelnhia  than  elsewhere  on  the  continent. 

It  was  here  that  Franklin  had  conducted  experiments  on  electricity, 
assisted  by  the  researches  of  Ebenezer  Kinnersley,  which  excited 
the  attention  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  It  was  here  that  his  famous 
speculations  on  a  host  of  other  subjects  were  made. 

Here  Rittenhouse  had  observed  the  transit  of  Venus,  and  given  "the 
first  approximately  accurate  results  in  the  measurement  of  the  spheres 
to  the  world."  Benjamin  Rush  had  made  the  city's  name  famous 
throughout  the  world  as  the  seat  of  tlie  highest  medical  culture.  Here 
Oliver  Evans  constructed  his  '^Oruktor  Amphibolos,"  and  first  on  this 
continent  propelled  a  carriage  on  land  by  the  use  of  steam. 

With  such  stimulus  to  activity  in  science  and  the  application  of 
science  to  the  arts,  with  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  also 
founded  by  Franklin  to  encourage  and  publish  the  labors  of  scientific 
men,  there  ought  in  fact  to  appear  a  notable  proportion  of  scientific 
men  among  the  graduates  and  matriculates  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

This  is  the  case,  but  owing  to  the  absence  of  special  courses  at  this 
date  facilitating  the  study  of  natural  history,  physics,  or  chemistry,  those 


'  By  Peraifor  Frazer,  Dr.  es.  Sc. 


THE   ALUMNI    OF   THE    UNIVERSITY.  429 

who  had  aspirations  to  scionco  were  attracte<l  to  the  study  of  in<*dicine. 
Consequently  the  Avorkers  in  science,  so  called  nowiwlays,  were  almost 
exclusively  i)hysicians.  The  real  <Ufficulty  lies  in  ascertiiining  the  part 
which  many  students  of  law,  letters,  and  theology,  many  statesmen 
and  men  of  business,  really  took  in  the  establishment  of  some  of  those 
brilliant  generalizations  which  distinguished  tlie  early  days  of  Huh 
century  from  any  previous  epoch. 

It  was  well  said  by  one  of  the  leaders  of  English  scientific  thought, 
when  speaking  of  the  achievements  of  Kittenhouse,  that  they  "  were 
given  to  the  world  not  by  the  schooled  and  salaried  astronomers  who 
watched  from  the  magnificent  royal  observatories  of  Europe,  but  by 
unpaid  amateurs  and  devotees  to  science  in  the  youthful  province  of 
Pennsylvania." 

Any  attempt  at  an  exhaustive  statement  of  what  the  alumni  of  the 
University  have  done  must,  in  the  absence  of  complete  records,  wrong 
by  neglect  almost  as  many  as  it  h<mors. 

It  is  fitting,  however,  that  here  and  there  a  name  should  be  taken  as 
an  example  without  pretending  that  there  were  not  contemporaries 
both  known  and  now  unknown  whose  services  were  as  valuable. 

First  among  the  list  of  distinguished  names  is  that  of  Dr.  John  Mor- 
gan, a  graduate  of  the  College  of  Philadelphia  (now  University  of 
Pennsylvania)  in  1757,  who  studied  and  served  an  apprenticeship  of  six 
years  with  Dr.  John  Redman.  Three  years  after  his  graduation  he  went 
to  London  and  attended  the  clinics  of  Dr.  William  Hunter.  He  took 
the  degree  of  M.  d.  in  Edinburgh  in  1763,  after  a  two  years'  course 
there,  and  studied  anatomy  in  Paris  in  1764,  receiving  for  his  treatise 
on  "The  Art  of  Making  Anatomical  Preparations  by  Corrosion  "  the 
reward  of  membership.in  the  Royal  Society.  In  1765,  after  having  been 
made  a  licentiate  of  the  College  of  Physicians  in  London,  he  returned  to 
America,  and  assisted  in  founding  that  metlical  school  in  connection 
with  our  then  embryo  University  which  has  ever  since  been  one  of 
the  objects  of  pride  of  the  State  and  of  the  United  States.  It  was 
to  him  that  a  separation  of  pharmacy  from  the  pra^^-tice  of  me<li<iue 
was  due.  In  October,  1775,  he  was  appointed  by  Congress  physician- 
in-chief  to  the  American  Army,  director- general  of  the  hospitals  (see 
Early  History  of  Medicine  in  Philadelphia,  by  Dr.  George  W.  Norris, 
Phila.,  1886). 

The  Rev.  Hugh  Williamson,  born  in  West  Nottingham,  Pa.,  one  of 
the  graduates  of  the  first  year  of  the  University,  like  the  preceding, 
after  leaving  the  institution  in  1757,  studied  theology  and  was  admit- 
ted to  the  Philadelphia  Presbytery,  was  professor  of  mathematics  in 
the  College  of  Philadelphia,  subsequently  studied  medicine  at  Edin- 
burgh and  Utrecht,  at  which  latter  University  he  took  his  degree.  He 
was  appointed  by  the  American  Philosophical  Society  in  1769  a  member 
of  the  commission  to  observe  the  transit  of  Venus  and  Mercury.  He  left 
behind  him  valuable  treatises  on  subjects  connected  with  political  econ- 
omy, philology,  astronomy,  history,  and  climatology. 


430  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

James  Cannon,  who  graduated,  in  1767,  was  professor  of  mathemat- 
ics in  the  College  of  Philadelphia  from  1773  to  1779,  and  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  into  which  it  was  merged,  from  1779 
to  1782.  He  rendered  eminent  services  to  his  country  (like  both  the 
preceding)  as  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention,  member  of 
the  committee  of  safety  of  Pennsylvania,  and  member  of  the  council  of 
safety  of  Pennsylvania.  • 

Dr.  Benjamin  Duffield  was  surgeon  in  the  American  Army,  member  of 
the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  fellow  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  of  Philadelphia. 

Eev.  llobert  Davidson,  d.  d.,  graduated  in  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1771,  and  in  addition  to  his  talents  and  cultivation  as  pro 
fessor  of  belles-lettres  there,  and  first  vice-jiresident  of  Dickinson  Col- 
egie,  he  was  the  inventor  of  a  cosmosphere  or  comi)ound  globe,  and 
published  an  Epitome  of  Geography  in  verse  for  the  use  of  schools 
(1784). 

Philip  Syng  Physick,  m.  d.  This  distinguished  Philadelphian  and 
University  of  Pennsylvania  alumnus,  called  "  the  father  of  American 
surgery,"  will  necessarily  be  noticed  in  another  place,  as  his  eminent 
medical  researches,  especially  in  yellow  fever,  entitle  him  to  be.  It 
would,  however,  be  impossible  to  overlook  his  important  contributions 
to  original  research  and  pure  science  in  any  list,  however  desultory,  of 
those  who  have  honored  their  Alma  Mater  in  the  field  of  science.  He 
received  his  license  to  practice  from  theEoyal  College  of  Surgeons  in 
London,  and  his  degree  from  the  University  of  Edinburgh  before  re- 
turning to  Philadelphia.  During  the  yellow  fever  epidemics  of  1793 
and  1797  he  exhibited  the  utmost  devotion  to  duty  and  disregard  of 
personal  safety,  remaining  at  liis  post  until  stricken  down  with  the 
scourge  on  both  occasions,  and  pursuing  his  investigations  into  the 
nature  of  the  disease  by  repeated  dissections  of  the  victims  of  the 
plague  for  the  purpose  of  tracing  the  fever  to  its  origin  and  under- 
standing its  relations.  He  was  among  the  first  to  raise  the  standard  of 
the  Philadelphia  physician  to  the  high  point  which  it  has  ever  since 
occupied. 

James  Woodhouse,  M.  D.,  born  in  Philadelphia  November  17, 1770, 
graduated  from  the  Department  of  Arts  of  the  University  in  1787,  and 
from  its  Medical  Department  in  1792,  and  was  surgeon  to  Gen.  Arthur 
St.  Clair's  expedition  against  the  Indians  in  1791.  In  1795  Joseph 
Priestley  having  declined  to  accept  the  chair  of  chemistry  in  the  Uni- 
versity, Dr.  Woodhouse  was  elected  to  and  held  it  till  his  death  in  1809. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  pub- 
lished a  number  of  works  of  great  value,  including  Dissertation  on  the 
Chemical  and  Medical  Properties  of  the  Persimmon  Treej  Observations 
on  the  Combinations  of  Acids,  Bitters,  and  Astringents;  Answer  to  Dr. 
Priestley's  Considerations  on  the  Doctrine  of  Phlogiston  aud  the  De- 
composition of  Water  (1794);  Young  Chemist's  Pocket  Comi)anion, 
and  Experiments  aud  Observations  on  the  Vegetation  of  Plants. 


THE    ALUMNI   OF    THE    UNIVERSITY.  431 

Thomas  Tickell  Ilewson,  A.  m.,  m.  d.,  was  bom  in  Loudon,  /graduated 
from  the  College  Departjnent  in  1 789,  and  hold  many  pnMnincnt  medical 
positions  in  the  prison,  in  the  College  of  Physicians,  as  professor  of  com- 
parative anatomy  in  the  University,  and  in  the  Pennsylvania  Iio8i)ital. 
He  was  president  of  the  American  Phih)S()phical  Society  and  of  the 
College  of  Physicians  from  1835  to  1848,  the  year  of  his  death.  He  took 
an  important  part  in  the  establishment  of  <the  National  Pharmacopa-ia. 

George  Izard,  major-general  U.  S.  Army,  was  born  in  Soutli  (.'arolina 
in  1777,  graduated  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  179U,  and  af- 
ter a  sojourn  in  Europe  was  appointed  a  lieutenant  in  the  U.  S.  Army 
in  1794.  He  was  engineer  of  the  fortifications  in  Charleston  in  1798, 
resigned,  was  reappointed,  and  made  successively  colonel  during  the  war 
of  1812,  and  subsequently  brigadier-general  and  major-general.  He 
was  afterwards  governor  of  Arkansas  from  1825  to  1828,  when  he  died. 

Eobert  Maskell  Patterson,  m.  d.,  born  in  Philadelphia  1787,  died  in  1854. 
He  graduated  from  the  College  1804,  and  in  the  Medical  Departihent 
1808;  studied  in  Paris,  and  in  1811  took  a  course  of  chemistry  under  Sir 
Humphrey  Davy.  He  was  made  professor  of  natural  philosophy,  chemis- 
try, and  mathematics  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  of  which  he  wa« 
vice-provost  from  1814  to  1828,  and  director  of  the  mint  from  1835  to 
1851.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  American  Philosophical 
Society  at  the  age  of  22  years,  and  was  president  of  it  from  1845  to 
1853.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  and  of  the 
Musical  Fund  Society. 

Jacob  Green  was  born  in  Philadelphia  1790;  graduated  1807.  He 
made,  as  a  boy,  a  large  collection  of  plants;  he  wrote  a  treatise  on 
electricity  which  was  well  thought  of;  studied  law  and  began  i)ractice, 
but  abandoned  it  for  cliemistry,  natural  philosophy,  and  natural  history 
in  Princeton  (College  of  New  Jersey).  In  1822  he  became  ])rofes8or  of 
chemistry  in  Jefferson  Medical  College,  and  was  grante«l  tlie  degree  of 
M.  D.  from  Yale  in  1827.  He  produced  t^hemical  Diagrams,  Chemical 
Philosophy,  Astronomical  Eecreations,  Trilobites,  The  Botany  of  the 
United  States,  and  Diseases  of  the  Skin. 

Franklin  Bache,  M.  D.,  great  grandson  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  was 
born  in  Philadelphia,  October  25,  1792,  and  dietl  March  19,  1864.  He 
graduated  from  the  department  of  arts  in  1810,  and  passe<l  his  medical 
examination  at  the  University  1814.  After  serving  in  the  U.  S.  Army 
for  two  years  he  i)racticed  in  IMiiladelphia;  became  i>rofe«sor  of  cliem 
istry  in  the  Franklin  Institute  (1820  to  1832),  and  in  the  Pliiladelphia 
College  of  Pharmjicy  (18:31  to  1841).  From  1841  till  his  death  he  was 
professor  of  chemistry  in  Jefferson  ^lexlical  College. 

In  1819  he  published  a  System  of  Chemistry  for  the  I'se  of  Stu 
dents  of  Medteine,  and  in  connection  with  Dr.  George  WimmI  he  pub- 
lished aPharraacopieia  in  1830,  which  was  adoptc^l  by  a  national  con- 
vention of  physicians.  In  1833  this  public.ation  became  the  United 
States  Pharmacopseia  and   United  States  Dispensatory,  which  he  ed- 


432  THE   UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

ited  with  Dr.  Wood  till  his  death.  He  published  and  edifctid  luaiiy  other 
works  and  contributed  many  articles  to  scientific  journals.  He  was 
l)resident  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  in  1854  and  1855,  and 
was  one  of  the  editors  of  the  North  American  Medical  and  Surgical 
Journal. 

George  Bacon  Wood,  M.  d.,  ll.  d.,  was  born  in  Greenwich,  Jf.  J.,  in 
1797,  and  died  in  Philadelphia  1879;  grjiduated  from  the  Department 
of  Arts  in  1815  and  in  medicine  1818.  He  was  professor  of  chemistry 
in  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  (1821-'31),  of  materia  medica 
(1831-'35),  and  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  1835  to  1850,  and  of 
theory  and  practice  of  medicine  1850  to  1860.  In  1865  he  endowed  an 
auxiliary  faculty  of  medicine  in  the  University,  and  by  his  will  he  en- 
dowed the  Peter  Halm  ward  of  the  University  hospital.  He  was  pres- 
ident of  the  College  of  Physicians  for  many  years,  and  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  from  1859  till  his  death.  He  edited  the  United 
States  Pharmacopoeia  with  Dr.  Franklin  Bache  and  wrote  many  treatises 
on  medical  subjects.  His  reputation  as  a  master  of  medical  botany  Avas 
national. 

Isaac  Hays,  m.  d.,  was  born  in  Phihwlelphia  1706;  died  there  1879. 
He  graduated  from  the  College  Department  1816  and  took  his  medical 
degree  1820.  He  was  a  physician  of  great  learning  and  distinction  and 
especially  in  ophthalmology  was  preeminent.  He  joined  the  staif  of  the 
Journal  of  the  Medical  and  Physical  Sciences,  and  became  in  the  same 
year  its  sole  editor,  retaining  this  jiosition  until  1869.  In  J 843  he  es- 
tablished the  Medical  News,  and  in  1874  the  Monthly  Abstract  of  Med- 
ical Science,  both  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  president  of  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  from  1865  to  1869  and  one  of  the  founders  and  long 
secretary  of  the  Franklin  Institute.  He  edited  many  valuable  medical 
works. 

William  Hypolitus  Keating  was  born  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  1799,  and 
died  in  London  1840.  He  graduated  at  the  College  in  1816,  and  pur- 
sued chemical  and  mineralogical  studies  in  Europe.  On  returning  he 
was  appointed  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Mineralogy  in  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  and  held  this  chair  from  1822  to  1827.  He  opened  the 
first  laboratory  in  the  old  University.  His  efforts  together  with  thase 
of  Mr.  Merrick  and  others  led  to  the  founding  of  the  Franklin  Institute 
in  1824.    He  afterwards  read  law  and  practiced  with  success. 

James  M.  Staughton,  M.  D..  was  born  in  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  in  1800, 
and  died  in  Cincinnati  in  1833.  Graduated  from  the  College  Department, 
and  took  his  nu^dical  degree  in  1821.  He  was  elected  professor  of  chem- 
istry and  geology  in  Columbian  College,  I>.  C,  where  he  afterwards 
served  as  Professor  of  Surgery,  from  1821  to  1830.  He  afterwards  filled 
the  chair  of  surgery  in  a  medic^il  college  in  Ohio. 

George  Washington  Norris,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1808, 
and  died  there  in  1875.  He  graduated  in  letters  in  1827  and  in  medicine 
in  1830.     He  subsequently  studied  in  Paris.    In  1836  he  was  elected  one 


THE    ALUMNI   OP   THE    UNIVERSITY.  433 

of  the  surgeoiiS  of  the  Pennsylvania  hospital,  which  post  hefille<l  for 
twenty-seven  years.  In  1848  he  was  elect<-d  clinical  professor  of  sur- 
gery of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  resigning  in  lH;')7,when  he  was 
elected  a  trustee.  He  was  vice-i>resident  of  the  College  of  Physicians, 
and  president  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania.  His  pai)er8 
and  contributions  to  the  current  medical  science  of  his  day  were  numer- 
ous and  important. 

Edward  Miller,  c.  e.,  was  born  in  I'hiladeli)hia  in  1811,  and  gradu- 
ated in  the  College  in  1828,  at  the  age  of  17.  He  immediately  entered 
the  engineer  corps  of  the  Lehigh  Canal,  was  chief  engineer  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Eailroad  on  the  retirement  of  'Mr.  J.  Edgar  Thompson,  and  was 
active  in  engineering  till  his  death  in  1872. 

James  Curtis  Booth  Avas  born  in  Philadelphia,  1810,  and  graduated 
in  the  College  in  1829.  In  1832  he  studied  (;hemistry  in  Wiihler's  pri- 
vate laboratory  in  Cassel.  He  afterward  studied  under  Magnus  at  Ber- 
lin and  in  Vienna. 

In  1836  he  established  at  Philadelphia  the  first  laboratory  in  the  I'nited 
States  for  instruction  in  chemistry.  He  was  in  this  year  appointed 
professor  of  applied  chemistry  in  the  Franklin  Institute.  In  1849  he 
was  appointed  melter  aiul  refiner  in  the  U.  S.  mint  at  Philadelphia. 
His  works  were  the  first  annual  report  of  the  Delaware  Greological  Sur- 
vey (1839),  Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  the  State  of  Delaware, 
(1841),  Encyclopedia  of  Chen>istry,  etc.  He  was  president  of  the  Amer-  • 
ican  Chemical  Society  during  1884-'85,  an«l  professor  of  chemistry  of 
the  Horticultural  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

John  Fries  Frazer,  ll.  d.,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  1812;  sharexl  the 
first  honor  with  Eev.  James  Clark  on  graduation,  in  1830;  was  assistant 
to  Prof.  A.  D.  Bache  and  later  to  Prof.  Bobt.  Hare.  He  studied  law 
and  medicine.  In  1830  he  became  first  assistant  geologist  to  Prof.  H. 
D.  Eogers  in  the  geological  survey  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1838,  he  was 
professor  of  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry  in  the  Philadelphia  high 
school.  In  1844,  he  took  the  chair  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
the  same  title,  vacated  by  the  resignation  of  Prof.  Bache,  which  he  held 
till  his  death,  in  1872.  He  was  vice-provost  from  ISTk')  to  1808 ;  professor 
of  chemistry  and  editor  of  Franklin  Institute  Journal  from  1855  to  1806; 
was  vice-president  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  in  l.V)o  and 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  National  Academy  of  Science.  He  received 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  from  Harvard  in  1857.  He  wrote  many  tre^itises  in 
pamphlet  form  for  the  use  of  the  classes,  but  did  nut  publish  in  i>erma- 
nent  form.  As  examples  may  be  cited  his  Mechanics,  Heat,  Light,  The 
Steam  Engine,  Sound,  etc. 

John  Neill,  m.  d.,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  1819,  and  graduated  in 
the  College  in  1837  and  in  medicine  in  1840.^  He  was  apixiinted  dem- 
onstrator in  anatomy  in  1842,  and  elected  to' Will's  Hospital  in  1847, 
and  after  filling  various  important  and  resix»nsible  positions  in  other 
places,  took  charge  of  and  organized  the  Philadelphia  miUtary  hospitals 
1180 28 


434  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

in  1861.  lu  1862  lie  was  appointed  surgeon  of  U.  S.  Volunteers.  In 
1863  was  medical  director  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops,  and  brevetted 
lieutenant  colonel  for  meritorious  services.  He  wrote  Neill  on  the  Veins, 
and,  together  with  Dr.  F.  G.  Smith,  i^eill  and  Smith's  Tompend  of  31ed- 
icine. 

Many  of  the  names  which  would  naturally  follow  the  present  list  are 
of  distinguished  scientific  men  yet  living,  whom,  for  that  reason,  we 
omit  here.  Among  those  who  are  deceased  should  be  mentioned  Dr. 
Joseph  Beale,  Surgeon-General  F.  S.  I^avy,  Dr.  Henry  Hollingsworth 
Smith,  Dr.  Francis  Gurney  Smith,  Dr.  Chas.  M.  Wetherill,  Dr.  James 
Howell  Hutchinson,  Mr.  Henry  Carvill  Lewis,  and  Mr.  Chas.  A.  Ash- 
burner,  all  of  whom  upheld  the  character  of  their  University  in  the 
the  various  callings  in  life  which  they  selected. 

Equally  valuable  to  the  institution  has  been  the  labor  of  some  of 
her  stUl  living  and  distinguished  sons,  among  whom  should  be  men- 
tioned Dr.  Alfred  Stille,  Dr.  James  lleese.  Prof.  Peter  Lesley,  Dr.  Chas. 
M.  Cresson,  Mr.  Edward  Goodfellow,  Dr.  Isaac  i^orris,  jr.,  Mr.  Fairman 
Rogers,  Prof.  Henry  Morton,  Dr.  William  F.  ]S^orris,  Prof.  Benjamin 
W.  Frazier,  Dr.  Wm.  Pepper,  Dr.  H.  C.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  HoA^rd 
Muri)hy. 

For  obvious  reasons  it  is  not  designed  here  to  record  these  most  hon- 
orable, but  as  yet  uncompleted  records. 

In  conclusion  a  few  of  those  must  be  mentioned  who,  although  not 
strictly  within  the  meaning  of  tlie  word  alumni,  Avere  matriculates  who 
passed  several  years  at  the  University,  and  whose  careers  were  in- 
fluenced by  their  asso<*iation  with  it.  Such  Avere  Gen.  John  Clifford 
Pemberton  (matriculated  1830),Dr.Mereditli  CIymer(1832),  Dr.  William 
Hobne  Van  Buren  (1834),  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan<1840),  Gen.  Thomas 
Hewson  Neill  (1841),  Gen.  Jolin  Grubb  Parke  (1843),  Dr.  Silas  Weir 
Mitchell  (1844),  Mr.  Thomas  H.  Garrett,  Dr.  Thos.  G.  Morton,  Mr. 
Chas.  M.  Ba<^he,  Dr.  Isaac  Newton  Himes,  Prof.  Lewis  Muhlenberg 
Haupt.  With  such  an  array  of  men,  some  of  whom  have  taken  a  partial 
and  others  a  full  college  course,  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  can  not 
be  charged  with  failure  to  contribute  her  share  of  the  workers  and 
thinkers  of  the  nation. 


THE   CENTRAL   CO]\IMITTEE   OF  THE  ALUMNI.' 

The  alumni  of  tlie  University  of  Pennsyh'ania  liad  for  jnany  years 
been  desirous  of  takftg  greater  interest  in  the  institution  of  which  they 
were  graduates  and  of  obtaining  in  some  Avay  greater  recognition  by 
the  governing  body.  In  the  year  1881  representatiA^es  of  the  three 
alumni  societies  of  the  arts,  medicine,  and  law  met  at  the  suggestion 
of  Provost  Pepper  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  subject  and  seeing 
if  it  was  not  possible  to  have  such  powers  conferred  upon  the  alumni 


'  By  J.  Sergeant  Price,  a.  m. 


THE   ALUMNI   OF   THE   UNIVERSITY.  435 

as  would  place  them  in  a  position  to  make  their  infinence  felt  through- 
out all  the  diflferent  departments  of  the  University.  A  special  committee 
of  their  number  was  appointed  to  present  the  matter  to  the  trustees  of 
the  University,  and  after  a  number  of  conferences  with  them  it  was 
decided  that  the  alumni  should  organize  a  representative  body,  to  be 
called  the  Central  Committee  of  the  Alumni  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania. This  body  was  granted  the  privilege  of  making  a  limited 
number  of  nominations  for  every  third  vacancy  that  should  o<'cor  in  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  from  which  the  board  should  make  a  selection.  It 
was  also  intrusted  with  the  special  duty  of  attending  from  time  to  time 
upon  the  various  examinations,  recitations,  and  other  exercises  of  the 
several  departments,  and  of  conferring  with  the  members  of  the  differ- 
ent faculties  in  order  to  recommend  to  the  trustees  such  changes  and 
improvements  as  should  be  deemed  advisable.  The  following  is  the 
I)lan  of  organization  of  the  central  committee : 

(1)  The  Central  Committee  of  the  Alumni  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania shall  consist  of  thirty  members,  six  to  be  elected  annually,  to 
serve  for  a  term  of  five  years,  by  the  duly  qualified  electors  voting  by 
ballot,  in  person,  on  commencement  day,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

(2)  Of  the  six  so  elected  two  shall  be  representatives  and  graduates 
of  the  Collegiate  Departments  of  at  least  three  years'  standing,  two 
shall  be  graduates  and  representatives  of  the  Medical  and  Collateral 
Departments,  and  two  graduates  and  representatives  of  the  Law  De- 
partment. 

(3)  Any  person  who  has  received  a  degree,  honorary  or  otherwise, 
from  the  University,  shall  be  a  duly  qualified  elector,  except  those  who 

.are  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  or  other  officers  of  government 
or  instruction  in  tlie  University,  none  of  whom  shall  be  eligible  as 
members  of  the  central  committee  or  entitled  to  vote  at  the  election 
of  said  members. 

(4)  The  central  committee  shall  annually  appoint  one  principal  and 
two  or  more  assistant  inspectors  of  polls,  who  shall,  on  commencement 
day,  from  10  o'clock  a.  m.  until  4  o'clock  p.  m.,  at  some  place  in  said 
city  of  Philadelphia  fixed  by  said  committee,  receive  the  votes  for  mem- 
bers of  the  committee,  and  they  shall  sort  and  count  such  votes,  and 
make  public  declaration  thereof  after  the  closing  of  the  polls;  and  said 
inspectors  shall  be  provided  with  a  complete  list  of  the  persons  qualified 
to  vote  at  such  election,  and  no  person  shall  vote  until  the  inspectors 
find  and  check  his  name  upon  such  list.  Tlie  name,s  of  the  i>er8on8 
voted  for,  the  number  of  votes  received  for  each  person,  and  the  va- 
cancy or  place  in  said  committee  for  which  he  is  proposed,  shall  be 
entered  by  said  inspectors  upon  a  record  kept  by  them  for  that  pur- 
pose, which  shall,  after  such  election,  be  forthwith  made  up,  signed,  and 
delivered  by  them  to  the  central  committee.  In  case  any  person  not 
eligible  to  membership  in  the  committee  is  voted  for,  his  name  shall  not 
be  counted  in  making  up  the  returns.    The  persons  receiving  the  high- 


436  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

est  number  of  votes  for^the  places  or  vacancies  in  each  of  the  three 
sections  of  the  committee  shall,  to  the  number  of  members  to  be  elected, 
be  deemed  and  declared  by  said  committee  elected  members  thereof. 

(5)  The  central  committee  shall  give  notice  ofthe  place  of  the  polls,  the 
hours  during  wliich  they  are  open,  the  number  of  members  to  be  elected, 
and  the  terms  for  which  they  are  to  serve,  together  with  a  list  of  the 
twelve  candidates,  four  in  each  section,  who  received  the  highest  num- 
ber of  votes  at  the  last  nomination,  by  publishing  the  same,  atleasi  ten 
days  before  commencement,  in  a  newspaper  or  newspapers  printed  Jn 
the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

(6)  The  terms  of  office  of  each  class  of  members  of  the  central  com- 
mittee shall  extend  to  the  close  of  commencement  day  of  the  year  in 
which  such  terms  severally  expire,  and  the  members  elected  on  any 
commencement  day  shall  supply  the  places  ofthe  class  of  members  that 
goes  out  of  office  at  the  close  of  that  day,  and  the  vacancies  then  exist- 
ing in  the  committee.  Whenever  there  is  a  failure  on  commencement 
day  to  supply  any  places  or  vacancies  in  the  committee,  the  same  may 
be  filled  by  vote  of  the  remaining  members  of  tlie  committee. 

(7)  In  order  to  secure  nominations  for  the  ensuing  election,  the  cen- 
tral committee  shall  annually  select  eighteen  persons  (six  for  each  sec- 
tion) eligible  to  membership  in  the  committee,  and  shall  send  on  or  be- 
fore April  15  to  all  the  qualified  electors  that  can  be  reached  through 
the  post-office,  a  printed  list  of  the  persons  so  chosen,  together  with  a 
list  of  the  vacancies  to  be  filled.  Each  elector  receiving  such  lists 
shall  nominate  candidates  to  a  number  not  exceeding  the  number  of 
vacancies  to  be  filled,  either  by  striking  out  the  names  of  all  the  other 
persons  on  the  list,  except  those  he  desires  to  nominate,  or  by  insert- 
ing new  ones,  and  shall  return  such  amended  list  to  the  central  commit- 
tee before  May  15.  The  persons  receiving  in  this  way  the  highest  num- 
ber of  nominations  in  each  section,  to  the  number  of  twice  the  number 
of  vacancies  to  be  fiUed,  shall  be  considered  the  regular  nominees  ofthe 
alumni,  and  as  such  their  names  shall  be  published  by  the  committee 
at  the  time  of  announcing  the  place  and  time  of  holding  the  election, 
as  hereinbefore  provided.  At  the  election,  however,  the  electors  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  voting  either  for  these  or  for  any  other  duly 
qualified  persons  they  may  select. 

(8)  The  central  committee  thus  constituted  shall  have  and  enjoy  the 
powers  and  privileges  conferred  upon  it  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
University  contained  in  the  plan  adopted  by  them  December  6,  1<S<S1, 
and  such  other  powers  and  privileges  as  may  hereafter  from  time  to 
time  be  conferred  ui)on  it  by  the  board. 

(9)  The  officers  of  the  committee  shall  be  a  president,  a  secretary,  and 
a  treasurer,  to  be  elected  annuaUy  at  such  time  and  in  such  manner  as 
the  committee  may  determine.  The  committee  shall  adopt  such  by- 
laws, rules  and  regulations  for  its  own  government  and  the  transaction 
of  business  as  it  may  deem  expedient. 


THE    ALUMNI    OP   THE   UNIVERSITY.  437 

The  above  plan  of  organization  was  duly  approved  by  resolution  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  adopted  at  a  meeting  held  March  7,  1882,  as  fol- 
lows: 

Resolved,  That  the  trustees  of  the  Uuiversity  of  Pennsylvnniu  do  ap)>rov«  of  the 
articles  of  association  of  the  central  committee  of  the  alumni  of  the  Uuiversity,  an 
submitted  to  the  Koard  of  Tmstees  this  day,  and  do  herelty  invest  said  couiniitt«« 
with  all  the  rights,  jdivileges,  and  functions  therein  exprcHsfd,  sultjcct  to  ail  the 
provisions  in  the  charter  and  statutes  of  the  I'niversity  now  in  force,  and  the  stat- 
utes of  the  said  trustees  which  may  be  hereafter  ordained. 

The  first  election  of  members  of  the  central  committee  under  this  plan 
of  organization  was  held  in  June,  1882,  and  since  that  time  the  com- 
mittee has  been  active  in  its  work  and  awakened  a  lively  interest  among 
those  connected  with  the  institution.  Several  of  the  older  members  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  have  passed  aWay,  and  the  committee  has  been 
called  upon  to  nominate  four  of  their  successors,  so  that  already  the 
alumni  are  directly  represented  by  several  of  the  most  active  members 
of  the  board.  Many  of  the  recent  changes  that  have  taken  i)lace  in  the 
details  of  the  curriculum  and  administrative  aftairs  have  been  promoted 
by  the  efforts  of  the  central  committee  to  secure  the  adoption  of  the 
latest  improvements  in  University  work,  and  with  the  steady  growth 
in  interest  on  the  part  of  the  alumni  in  this  method  of  making  them- 
selves felt  for  the  welfare  of  the  University,  the  usetulness  of  this  rep- 
resentative body  will  proportionately  increase. 


Chapter  XXVII.     - 

THE  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY. 

A  mere  catalogue  of  the  literary  productions  of  the  University  staff 
during  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  years  since  its  beginning  would 
occupy  more  than  the  space  allotted  to  this  volume,  and  the  making  of 
such  a  catalogue  would  be,  of  course,  impracticable.  All  that  can  be 
done  in  a  single  chapter  is  to  indicate  by  examples  the  character  and 
range  of  the  literary  work  which  may  be  justly  claimed  to  illustrate 
the  intellectual  life  of  the  organization,  and  thus  to  show  that  the 
University  has  not  only  fulfilled  its  direct  mission  of  instruction  to  its 
students,  but  has  also  been  the  fountain  of  a  far  more  widely  spreading 
influence  through  the  publications  of  its  teachers.  Nor  should  we  be 
restricted  in  our  survey  only  to  the  teaching  staff.  The  government  of 
a  university  must  be  in  the  hands  of  men  among  whom  shall  be  found 
tTiose  of  such  culture  and  learning  that  they  may  be  competent  to  select 
professors,  approve  the  curriculum,  and  judge  the  characterof  the  educa- 
tional work.  From  such  men  a  measure  of  literary  activity  may  be 
expected ;  and  in  iwint  of  fact  a  very  important  part  of  the  bibliography 
of  the  University  consists  of  the  writings  of  those  whose  relations  to 
it  were  those  of  trustees.  The  founder  himself  is  the  first,  and  one  of 
the  best,  examples.  No  one  of  his  age  was  more  industrious  with  the 
pen  or  wielded  a  larger  influence  upon  the  thought  of  his  time,  and  when 
it  is  remembered  that  a  complete  edition  of  his  works  extends  to  ten 
volumes,  and  embraces  no  less  than  three  hundred  books  and  papers 
exclusive  of  correspondence,  and  that  a  good  proportion  of  these  were 
connected  with  or  grew  out  of  his  associations  with  the  College,  his 
works  may  well  be  quoted  as  the  beginning  of  our  bibliogTaphy.  The 
Hon.  Francis  Hopkinson  was  a  trustee  and  an  accomplished  writer.  His 
works  were  collected  in  1792  in  three  volumes  of  essays  and  occasional 
writings,  largely  of  the  satirical  sort.  His  Battle  of  the  Kegs  was  a 
popular  ballad,  and  his  Essay  on  Whitewashing  was  for  some  time  attrib- 
uted to  Franklin.  Xmong  his  keenest  satires  is  one  entitled  Modern 
Learning  Exemplified  l)y  a  Specimen  of  a  Collegiate  Examination.  The 
venerable  Bishop  White  was  the  author  of  TheCalvinistic  and  American 
Controversy  (1817)  and  of  Memoirs  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
as  well  as  of  innumerable  sermons  and  addresses.  As  the  long  succes- 
sion is  unrolled  there  is  a  constant  reminder  of  men  who  contributetl  to 
the  political  or  professional  literature  of  their  day  while  active  as  trus- 
tees.   The  Notes  on  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  (eleven  volumes)  by 

438 


THE    BIBLIOGRAPHY    OP   THE    UNIVERSITY  439 

the  Rev.  Alberi  Barnes  were  of  bigh  reputation.  Bishop  William  Bacon 
Stevens  was  the  historian  of  Georgia  (two  volumes)  and  wrote  I'arablei} 
of  the  New  Testament  and  many  minor  works.  The  Mev.  Ki<'hard  New- 
ton, LL.  D.,  was  preeminently  the  religious  teacher  of  chihlrcn,  whose 
Rills  from  the  Fountain  of  Life  have  penetrated  into  every  land  and  been 
translated  into  nearly  every  tongue.  The  Rev.  <!harles  W.  Schaeirer, 
D.  D.,  besides  his  translation  of  the  Halle  Rei)orts,  is  an  industrious  theo- 
logical writer.  The  Rev.  George  Dana  Boardman,  ix.  i).,  is  a  most 
prolific  writer,  whose  University  Lectures  on  the  Ten  Commandments 
(1889)  were  the  direct  outcome  of  his  earnest  care  for  the  welfare  of  its 
students,  and  were  enthusiastically  received.  Dr.  S.  Weir  ^litchell, 
LL.  D.,  has  not  only  professional  fame  as  a  writer  on  medical  topics,  but 
ranges  afield  as  novelist  and  poet  of  an  equal  repute.  Horace  Howud 
Furuess,  ll.  d.,  is  as  widely  known  in  the  literary  world  as  the  student 
of  Shakespeare,  and  his  variorum  edition  of  the  plays  is  the  serious 
work  of  his  later  years,  while  diligently  watching  over  the  library  and 
the  English  Department  ot  the  College.  The  Hon.  Samuel  W.  Penny- 
packer  at  one  time  edits  supreme  court  reports,  at  another  is  the  his- 
torical writer  on  the  German  side  of  Pennsylvania's  history,  or  the  dis- 
coverer and  exploiter  of  rare  treasures  of  her  early  literature.  It  is 
well  that  the  governing  and  teaching  bodies  should  have  this  bond  of 
union  in  a  literary  fellowship  which  centers  in  the  I'niversitj'. 

To  go  to  the  other  extreme,  it  is  a  curious  and  noteworthy  fact  that 
the  celebrated  Lindley  Murray,  the  author  of  the  English  Grammar 
(1797),  English  Exercises,  and  other  educational  works  of  supreme  im- 
j)ortance  in  their  day,  got  his  first  acquaintance  with  grammar  on  ^he 
hard  benches  of  the  Academy  here,  somewhere  about  1752.  Of  coarse 
it  was  through  the  medium  of  Latin,  and  it  was  his  mission  to  make  it 
pqjKilarly  known  that  the  science  could  be  applied  to  the  native  tongue. 
But  our  bibliography  must,  of  course,  be  chiefly  occupied  with  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  teaching  staff,  and  these  have  been  so  numerous  that 
only  the  merest  outline  can  be  given.  The  Rev.  Dr.  William  Smith, 
first  provost,  began  his  literary  career  with  A  Philosophical  Meditation 
and  Address  to  the  Supreme  Being,  London,  1754,  and  the  i)en  was 
thenceforward  a  constant  weapon  in  his  active  and  aggressive  life;  and 
while  not  the  author  of  any  extensive  work,  he  publishe*!  numerous 
articles,  literary,  political,  and  religious,  a  full  account  of  which  is  given 
in  his  life  by  his  grandson,  Horace  W.  Smith  (Philadelphia,  1880).  For 
some  years  there  was  only  a  faculty  of  arts,  and  the  writings  from  that 
source  are  of  course  literary  and  philosophical.  David  James  Dove,  a 
tutor  of  the  Academy,  was  a  leading  poet  of  the  day.  Provost  John 
Ewing,  D.  D.,  published  Lectures  on  Natural  Philosophy  in  1809,  and 
was  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Philosophical  So- 
ciety. David  Rittenhouse,  sometime  vice-provost,  published  an  Oration 
on  Astronomy  in  1775,  but  wrought  more  than  he  wrote,  and  is  famous 
chiefly  for  his  achievements.    Henry  Reed,  gentlest  and  most  beloved 


440  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

of  professors,  was  the  author  of  Lectures  on  English  Literature  (1855), 
Lectures  on  English  History,  as  illustrated  by  Shakespeare's  plays.  Lec- 
tures on  Tragic  Poetry,  which  were  published  after  his  death.  Henry 
Vethake,  ll.  d.,  published  The  Principles  of  Political  Economy  (1838), 
and  edited  McCulloch's  Commercial  Dictionary.  Henry  Copp^e,  ll.  d., 
was  the  author  of  Elements  of  Logic  (1857),  Elements  of  Ithetoric 
(1857),  English  and  American  Poets  (1858).  Prof.  John  Bach  McMas- 
ter  is'Vell  known  through  his  great  work.  The  History  of  the  People  of 
the  United  States;  and  Prof.  Albert  S.  Bolles  through  his  Financial 
History  of  the  United  States.  Prof.  John  G.  E.  McElroy's  work,  The 
Structure  of  English  Prose  (1885),  has  become  a  valued  text-book  in 
many  institutions.  Prof.  Daniel  G.  Brinton's  works  on  Arclueology, 
especially  American,  aiul  on  American  Languages  are  unique  and  nu-- 
merous.  Prof.  Hqgh  A.  Clarke  has  published  a  successful  grand  ora- 
torio, Jerusalem  (1890).  Prof.  George  S.  Fullerton's  Conception  of  the 
Infinite  and  Plain  Argument  for  God  have  been  well  received.  Prof. 
Eobert  Ellis  Thompson  writes  chiefly  on  Political  Economy,  but  has 
recently  completed  The  Latin  Hymn  Writers  and  their  Hj'^mus,  begun  by 
S.  W.  Duffield.  Prof  Seidensticker  has  published  several  works  on  the 
early  German  settlers  in  Pennsylvania.  Prof.  Francis  N.  Thorpe  is  the 
author  of  the  Government  of  the  People  of  the  United  States  (1889), 
and  of  many  historical  monogTaphs.  But  these  brief  notices  are  unjust. 
There  is  scarcely  a  member  of  the  faculty  who  is  not  an  active  pro- 
ducer, and,  as  will  be  shown  by  some  later  statistics,  the  titles  of  their 
annual  work  in  monographs  would  be  impossible  of  enumeration  here. 
The  advent  of  the  professional  schools  greatly  increased  the  flood  of 
publications  from  the  University.  First  of  these  was  the  Medical 
School,  and  its  literature  is  simply  enormous.  We  will  quote  a  few  of 
the  larger  contributions,  taken  almost  at  random : 

Joiiii  Morgan,  m.  d.,  first  medical  professor.  De  Puris  Confectione, 
and  several  other  tracts. 

Prof.  Benjamin  Rush,  m.  d.  Medical  Inquiries  and  Observations,  5 
volumes. 

Prof  Benjamin  Smith  Barton,  m.  d.     Elements  of  Botany  (1805). 

Prof.  William  P.  C.  Barton.  Medical  Botany  of  the  United  States, 
2  volumes  (1817);  Flora  of  North  America,  3  volumes  (1821). 

Prof.  James  Woodhouse.  Dissertation  on  the  Chemical  and  Medical 
Properties  of  the  Persimmon  Tree ;  Young  Chemist's  Pocket  Companion 
(1792). 

Prof.  John  Syng  Dorsey.    Elements  of  Surgery,  2  volumes  (1813). 

Prof.  William  Potts  Dewees.  System  of  Midwifery ;  Practice  of  Med- 
icine. 

Prof.  William  E.  Horner.  Special  Anatomy  and  Histology.  United 
States  Dissector. 

Prof.  Nathaniel  Chapman.  Elements  of  Therapeutics  and  Materia 
Medica. 


THE   BIBLIOGRAPHY    OF   THE    UNIVERSITY.  441 

Prof.  George  B.  Wood.  Dispensatory  of  the  United  States  (issued 
first  iul833);  Practiceof  Medicine,  2  volumes  (1847);  Therapeutics  and 
Pharmacology,  2  volumes  (1856). 

Prof.  Henry  IT.  Smith.  Minor  Surgery  (1843);  Anatomical  Atla« 
(1844) ;  System  of  Operative  Surgery  (1852) ;  Principles  and  Practice  of 
Surgery  (18G3). 

Prof.  Alfred  Stills.    Therapeutics  and  Materia  Medica. 

Prof.  Henry  Hartshorne.  Essentials  of  the  Principles  and  Practice 
of  Medicine. 

Prof.  Joseph  Leidy.    Human  Anatomy. 

Prof.  Harrison  Allen.     A  system  of  Human  Anatomy. 

Prof.  William  Pepper.  A  System  of  I'ractical  Medicine;  Diseases  of 
Children. 

Prof.  John  Ashhurst,  jr.     Principles  and  l*ractice  of  Surgery. 

Prof.  William  F.  Norris.     A  Text  Book  of  Ophthalmology. 

Prof.  Hugh  L.  Hodge.     On  Diseases  Peculiar  to  Women. 

Prof.  Horatio  C.  Wood.    Therapeutics,  its  Principles  and  iMactice. 

Prof.  Edward  T.  Bnien.     Physic^al  Diagnosis  of  He^rt  and  Lungs. 

Prof  James  Tyson.     Cell  Doctrine.     Examination  of  irriue. 

Prof.  John  J.  Reese.    Medical  Jurisprudence  and  Toxicology. 

Prof.  William  Goodell.    Lessons  in  Gynaecology. 

Prof.  Theodore  Wormley.    The  Micro-Chemistry  of  Poisons. 

From  the  law  faculty  such  contributions  as  these : 

Prof.  George  Sharswood.  Professional  Ethics;  Popular  Lectures  on 
Common  Law.    Edition  of  Blackstone's  Commentaries. 

Prof.  J.  I.  Clark  Hare.  American  Leading  Cases  in  Law;  Lectures 
on  Law  of  Contracts.    Lectures  on  Constitutional  Law. 

Prof.  James  Parsons.     An  Exposition  of  the  Princijiles  of  Partnership. 

Prof.  C.  Stuart  Patterson.  The  United  States  and  tlie  States  under 
the  Constitution. 

Prof.  George  Tucker  Bispham.     Treatise  on  t'le  Principles  of  Equity. 

The  School  of  Biology  covers  a  most  productive  field,  ^nd  while  no 
large  works  have  been  produced,  the  contributions  to  iMTi<Mlical  litera- 
ture and  proceedings  of  scientitic  societies  by  such  writ«'rs  jw  Prof. 
John  A.  Ryder,  Joseph  T.  Rothrock,  William  P.  Wilson,  an<l  Jo8e]>li 
Leidy  amount  to  enough  to  make  many  large  volumes.  It  will  suflice 
to  say  that  the  titles  of  Ih:  Joseph  Ix-idy's  contributi.ms  of  this 
kind  during  four  years  were  found  t/O  number  70,  many  of  theni 
involving  considerable  research.  Indeed,  the  only  way  in  which  the 
literary  activity  of  the  professional  staff  can  be  even  approximately 
shown  in  such  a  chapter  as  this  is  to  state  that  during  four  and 
a  half  years  116  authors  were  reported  as  having  published  \xwks, 
nionogi-aphs,  or  articles  to  the  number  of  1,542  title-s.  It  is  knotm  that 
even  this  large  showing  is  incomplete,  several  authors  having  failed 
to  respond  to  a  request  for  a  report  of  their  literary  work.  But  the 
returns  are  sufficient  to  show  what  inteust;  activity 'in  research,  in 


442  THE    UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 

study,  and  in  writiDg  prevails  iu  a  body  of  uieu,  scarcely  one  of  whom 
is  not  also  engaged  in  direct  teaching  and  other  professional  work. 

Altogether  apart  from  the  productions  referred  to  iu  the  above 
sketch,  and  even  more  directly  products  of  the  University,  are  two  re- 
markable works.  One  is  the  Preliminary  Report  of  the  Committee  to 
Investigate  Modern  Spiritualism,  edited  by  Horace  Howard  Furness, 
chairman.  \  The  committee  was  appointed  in  compliance  with  the  terms 
of  the  gift  of  large  endowment  by  the  late  Henry  Seybert,  and  its  proceed- 
ings are  of  extreme  interest.  The  other  is  the  great  work  on  Animal  Lo- 
comotion, by  Eadweard  Muybridge,  who  jirosecuted  his  investigations 
under  the  auspices  and  on  the  premises  of  the  XJniversity,  producing  un- 
der conditions  of  the  most  scientific  accuracy  instantaneous  photographs 
of  men,  women,  and  animals  while  in  ordinary  or  rapid  motion.  Th  e  work 
consists  of  over  700  large  plates,  some  of  theni  with  from  twelve  to 
to  twenty-four  simultaneous  pictures  of  the  same  act  from  difterent 
points  of  view,  others  of  consecutive  pictures  at  indefinitely  brief  inter- 
vals. The  work  has  excited  much  attention  in  this  country  and  abroad, 
and  reflects  much  credit  on  the  University. 

"The  Department  of  the  Science  of  Music,"  writes  Dr.  H.  A.  Clarke, 
the  director  of  the  department,  "was  established  by  the  trustees  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1875.  Although  chairs  of  music  have  been  in  existence  for 
many  years  in  the  English  universities,  this  was  the  first  to  be  estab- 
lished in  the  United  States,  an  example  which  was  followed  shortly 
afterward  by  Harvard.  The  duties  attached  to  this  chair  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  differ  so  widely  from  those  of  the  corresponding 
chair  in  tlie  English  uuiversities  as  to  make  it  a  new  departure  in  col- 
legiate instruction.  In  the  English  university  the  duties  of  the  pro- 
fessor are  limited  chiefly  to  tlie  examination  of  candidates  for  degrees 
who  have  received  their  technical  training  elsewhere.  In  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania  this  technical  training  is  the  main  duty  of  the  pro- 
fessor. Being  largely  of  the  nature  of  an  experiment,  the  course  in 
music  was  first  established  as  an  independent  department,  but  the  suc- 
cess which  attended  it  was  such  that  in  1882  the  trustees  attached  it  to 
the  Department  of  Philosophy.  The  course  of  instruction,  which  at  the 
inception  of  the  department  was  confined  to  harmony  and  counterpoint, 
extending  through  two  years,  was  in  188G  increased  to  three  years  and 
made  to  include  form  and  orchestration.  The  dift'erence  between  the 
duties  of  this  chair  and  those  of  the  English  universities  has  caused 
some  modifications  in  the  granting  of  degrees.  This  change  was  made 
necessary  by  the  fact  that  many  students  who  master  tlie  course  of  in- 
struction thoroughly  and  are  well  qualified  to  teach  do  not  i)0sses8 
enough  of  the  inventive  faculty  to  produce  original  compositions.  To 
such  students  the  university  grants  a  certificate,  reserving  the  bach- 
elor's degree  for  those  who,  in  addition  to  technical  knowledge,  are 
gifted  with  sufficient  originality  to  compose  the  prescribed  thesis.  A 
change  was  also  u^ade  in  the  manner  of  granting  the  doctor's  degree. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY    OF   THE   UNIVERSITY.  443 

In  the  English  universities  this  degree  is  granted  to  baehelorn  who  un- 
dergo a  further  examination  and  write  the  prescribed  thesis,  the  dif- 
ference between  the  examinations  for  Mus.  B.  and  Mus.  I),  lieing  so 
slight  that  the  latter  is  deprived  of  much  of  its  distinction.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  adopted  the  rule  that  the  degree  of  Mus.  1). 
should  be  reserved  for  musicians  who  have  distinguished  themselves  as 
composers  of  important  works,  thus  enhancing  the  value  of  the  degree. 
Being  attached  to  the  Department  of  Philosophy,  the  course  in  music 
may  be  taken  as  one  of  the  three  studies  requued  for  the  degree  of 
Ph.  D." 

In  1886  the  undergraduates  of  the  University  brought  out  the  Greek 
play,  Aristophanes'  Acharnians,  for  which  Dr.  Clarke  wrote  the  nnisic. 
This  successful  revival  of  a  classic  drama  was  one  of  the  academic 
events  of  the  day. 


INDEX 


Academy  of  Philadelphia  (««  Sketch  of  an  English  School),  36,  5IM57,  243,  246. 

Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science,  199. 

Act  of  assembly  confirming  tho  estates  of  the  college,  etc.,  83,  88,  92. 

Alumni  of  the  University,  The:  Distingnished  at  tho  bar,  420-128;  distingiiishetl  in 
science,  428-431;  The  Central  Committee  of  the  Alumni,  434-J37;  Bibliography  of 
the  University,  Hopkinson,  White,  438;  Barnes,  Stevens,  Newton,  Schaeffer, 
Bordrnan,  Mitchell,  Furuess,  Pennypackcr,  Murray,  Smith,  Dove,  Kwing,  Rittrn- 
house,  Reod,  439;  Eastlake,  Coppee,  McMastcr,  Bollcs,  McElroy,  Brintou,  Chirk. 
Fullerton,  Thompson,  Thorpe,  Seidensticker,  Morgan,  Rush,  Barton,  WmMlhons*", 
Dorsey,  Dewes,  Horner,  Chapman,  440;  Wood,  Smith,  .*»tillo,  Hart«horuc,  Luidy, 
Allen,  Pepper,  Ashhurst,  Norris,  Hodge,  Benson,  Tyson,  Reese,  Goo<lell.  Wonu- 
ley,  Sharswood,  Hare,  Parsons,  Paterson,  Bispham,  Ryder,  Rothrock,  Wibou, 
Mybridge,  441-142. 

American  History  and  Institutions  {xce  Sch<H>l  of),  370. 

American  Philosophical  Society,  54, 55, 18^1, 185. 

Archaeology,  Department  of,  377. 

Archbishop  of  Canterbury's  Letter  to  the  Trustees,  1764,79,221. 

Architecture  School,  396. 

Art  of  Virtue,  26,  28. 

Arts,  Department  of,  Chapter  vii. 

Attendance  from  1740-1892,  202. 

B. 

Bibliography  of  the  University  (see  under  Alumni),  438-142. 

Biological  SVhool,Tho:  Bartramand  Marshall,  327;  Barton  and  Darlington,  328-330; 
Joseph  Leidy,  H.  C.  Wood,  Allen,  Hay«leu,  Reese.  3.32;  Dr.  HornreJayne  (fonnder 
of  the  Biological  School),  333;  intention  of  the  fonnder,  3.34;  cours«  in  mam- 
malian anatomy,  335;  in  anatomy  anrt  physiology  of  plants,  3:16;  in  sysU-matic 
and  economic  botany,  337;  in  histology,  338;  in  embry.dogy  and  rhemistrj-,  339; 
in  general  biology,  340;  tiie  Sea  Isle  City  marine  laboratory,  340, 342. 

Buildings,  1881-1892,  200. 


Charitable  School,  The,  231.     (See  under  Franklin.) 

Charters,  of  1749,  63;  1753,  68;  1755,  71;  1779,  i<i;  1789,  88;  1791,  !»2. 

Chemistry.     (See  Towne  Scientitic  and  Biological  schools.) 

City  of  Philadelphia,  Relation  of  University  to,  Chapter  vi. 

College,  Girard,  189-192. 

Committee  (standing)  of  tho  University,  206. 

Constitutions  of  the  Public  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  63. 

Corporation  of  the  University,  205. 

445 


446  INDEX. 

Courses  of  study,  208, 230, 258, 259, 260,  261, 262.  263, 264, 265,  267,  269,  280, 286, 298, 300- 
308, 316,  319,  320,  326,  335-342,  359,  366-368,  373,  374,  375,  399-402. 

Dentistry,  Departraont  of.  Chapter  xi. 

Department  of  Archa'ology :  American  section,  377;  Ep^ptian  section,  379;  Assyrian 
section,  fHyptic,  382, 383. 

Department  of  Arts:  Early  efforts  for  education  in  Pennsylvania,  256;  Franklin 
and  Smitli,  257;  tlie  old  curricnluni,  258,259;  tlie  course  in  1760,260,261;  origin 
of  the  four  years'  course,  262,263;  tlie  course  in  1810,264;  annual  catalogue, 
266 ;  the  course  in  1845,  267,  268,  269. 

Department  of  Dentistry:  Origin,  309,310;  dental  schools,  311;  faculty,  314;  build- 
•ings,  316:  methods,  317. 

Department,  Graduate,  for  women.     (5^^384.) 

Department  of  Law :  Introductory  lecture  by  Justice  James  Wilson,  283;  organiza- 
tion, 284;  eminent  professors,  285;  curriculum,  286.* 

Department  of  Medicine :  Beginning,  273;  Franklin's  services,  274 ;  law  regulating 
the  i»ractice  of  medicine,  275 ;  eminent  professors,  276 ;  buildings  and  appliances, 
277 ;  laboratories,  278,  279 ;  the  course  of  study,  280. 

Department  of  Music,  The :  442. 

Department  of  Philosophy,  The :  Organization,  364 ;  courses  and  degrees,  365-369. 

Departments  of  the  University,  197,  198. 

Department,  Veterinary.     (-See  356.) 

E. 
Education,  Chapter  ii,  1.33. 
English,  168. 

English  {see  study  of,  under  Franklin)  48. 
Experimentation,  Franklin's,  30,  33,  154. 

F. 

Fellowships,  254. 

Finance  and  Economy  (nee  Wharton  School)  320. 

Franklin,  Benjamin:  Birth  and  ancestry,  9,  145;  boyhood  books,  10;  learns  composi- 
tion, 11;  his  first  class,  11-16;  studies  mathematics,  grammar,  logic,  12;  princi- 
ples and  morals,  14;  his  discoveries,  15;  plan  for  stmlying  natural  history,  15; 
his  sociology,  16;  jdan  of  teaching  morals,  17;  his  second  class,  18;  his  symbol 
of  education,  18;  Franklin,  Jonson,  Carlyle,  18;  the  Junto,  18,  20,  21,  22,  23,24, 
133;  plan  for  study  of  reading,  19;  Cotton  Mather's  benefit  societies,  20;  his 
third  class,  23;  founds  Philadelphia  Library,  25-121 ;  Franklin's  Presbyterian- 
ism,  26;  Art  of  Virtue,  27,  28,  147;  observations  on  his  readings,  29;  Franklin 
and  Lord  Louden,  29;  ob.servations  on  the  sailing  of  ships,  30;  his  fourth  class 
in  English  in  the  English  school,  30;  his  verses,  31,118;  Franklin  and  Whit- 
field, 32,  139,145^;  experiment  with  Whitfield's  voice,  33;  his  sixth  class,  33;  sys- 
tem of  prizes,  .34,  119;  on  tlie  study  of  Latin  and  modern  languages,  35,  51, 
167,  168;  sketch  of  an  English  school,  36,  39,  95,  143;  obs«^rvations  on  the  inten- 
tioiis  of  the  original  founders  of  the  academy  in  Philadelphia,  .39-51;  the  study 
of  English,  40,  42,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47,  49,  .50,  60;  on  the  orphan  school  houses 
in  Philadelphia,  52,96;  experiment  with  ants,  52;  use  of  the  word  "busi- 
ness" (and  note),  .53;  founds  the  American  Philosophic  Society,  54,  .55,  183-185; 
establishes  the  Academy  of  Philadelphia,  56;  his  proposals  relating  to  the  edu- 
cation of  youth  in  Pennsylvania,  .57-63;  arilhmetic,  geography,  history,  moral- 
ity, language,  natural  history,  economic  history.  Ibid;  constitutions  of  the  Pub- 
lic Academy  in  Philadelphia,  63-68;  charter  of  the  Academy  and  Charity  School, 
68-71;  charter  of  the  College  of  Phil.adeljihia,  71-77;  Declaration  of  the  Trustees 
of  the  College,  80,  81;  first  Charter  of  the  University,  83-88;  his  spirit  of  com- 
promise, 95;  made  doctor  of  laws  by  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  97;  Frank- 


INDEX,  447 

lin  and  Hume,  97,  1(M,  146, 148;  Franklin  and  Lord  Kanes,  97, 146, 147;  hw  idcaa 
about  Canada  and  the  United  States,  97;  educates  tho  Britinh  public,  98;  exam- 
ination before  the  House  of  Commons,  98,148;  Franklin  and  Adam  Smith,  99, 
104,  135, 142, 150;  influence  of  "  The  Wealth  of  Nations,"  100;  Washington'*  copy 
of  "  The  Wealth  of  Nations  ""  100  (note) ;  Frankhn  and  Priestly,  101, 151 ;  Frank- 
lin and  the  seal  of  the  United  States,  102;  publishes  the  American  coDstitutionn 
in  France,  103 ;  his  comments  on  them  to  Dr.  Cooper,  104;  Franklin  and  John 
Adams,  105, 171;  Adams's  ideas  upon  education,  173-180;  Franklin  and  Wwbster, 
106;  iisked  to  write  his  autobiography,  106;  Congress  re({uestfi  him  to  make  a 
school  book,  108;  gift  of  books  to  Franklin,  Massas,  109;  suggests  water-tight 
compartments  in  ships,  110;  welcomed  home  by  the  University,  111;  Franklin 
and  Marshall  College,  112;  Dr.  Pepper's  address  at  Centennial  anniversary,  113; 
Franklin  in  the  Convention  of  1787, 13,  117, 161;  becinest  to  Boston,  119, 169;  pro- 
test against  slavery,  and  religious  views,  122;  death,  123;  Mirabean's  eulogy, 
123 ;  Lord  Jeffrey's  eulogy,  124 ;  Sir  James  Mackintosh's  eulogy,  127 ;  John  Fos- 
ter's eulogy,  128;  Lord  Brougham,  129;  Robert  C.  Winthrop's,  130;  Horace 
Greeley's,  131;  his  articles  of  belief  and  acts  of  religion,  133;  the  "Silence  Do- 
Good  Papers,"  "A  Modest  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a  Paper  Cur- 
rency,"134;  he  makes  an  epoch  in  political  economy,  13.");  fondness  for  the 
theatre,  136;  ideas  on  government,  137, 155, 1.^6, 160, 161, 164, 165, 166;  leaves  his 
fame  to  others,  138;  letter  to  Dr.  Saml.  Jolmson,  of  King's  College,  offering  the 
provostship  of  the  university,  139;  peculiar  character  of  the  university,  140; 
Franklin  and  Malthus,  141 ;  on  the  future  of  the  English  nice,  142 ;  tlraws  the 
Albany  plan  of  government,  144, 145 ;  Franklin  and  Provost  Smith,  141, 145  (note). 

Franklin  and  Charles  Thompson,  the  Stamp  Act,  148;  Ffanklin  and  the  physiocrats, 
Turgot,  Quesuay,  Du  Pont  de  Nemours,  Voltaire,  149,150-151;  advice  to  office- 
seekers,  152;  secret  of  his  style,  153;  his  sagacity  in  reaching  the  public,  153; 
the  useful  in  education,  154 ;  "  free  ships  make  free  goods,"  155 ;  his  conversations. 
157;  hi*  love  of  Boston,  158;  international  copyright,  159;  immigration,  159; 
his  faith  in  America,  161;  his  views  on  Shay's  Rebellion  contrasted  with  Jeffer- 
son's, 162 ;  Franklin  and  Thomas  Paine,  163 ;  Franklin's  name  on  tho  map,  163 
(note);  Franklin  and  Jefferson,  164,  180-182;  ho  formulates  tho  national  idea, 
164;  his  motion  for  prayers  in  the  Convention,  165;  comments  on  the  Constitu- 
tion, 165;  pamphlet  on  tho  Internal  State  of  America,  166;  letter  to  Washington 
on  the  African  race,  167;  let'ter  to  Noah  Webster,  167;  the  Franklin  fund,  170; 
the  educational  ideas  of  Adams,  Jefferson,  and  Franklin  compared,  183;  the 
Franklin  Institute,  185-189 ;  Girard  College,  189-193;  the  Philadelphia  Manual 
Training  School,  193;  these  institutions  illustrate  Franklin's  ideas  in  education, 
185-194 ;  seen  in  the  Wharton  School,  320-326;  in  the  School  of  American  History 
and  Institutions,  374;  Franklin  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  195.  el 
'  aeq.;  books  that  influenced  Franklin,  10, 11, 12, 18, 19;  his  ideas  utilitarian.  14. 17, 
19  20, 21,  22,  26,  27,  29,  30,  34,  35,  36,  47,  48, 49,  50, 53. 54,  56, 95, 97.  98, 103,  1(».  109, 
110, 114, 116, 118, 119, 122, 124,  126. 127,  129, 131, 132,  134,  135.  136,  137. 141,  142,  111. 
146, 147, 149, 153, 1.54, 156, 159, 163, 168, 170, 176, 177, 182, 183, 186, 189, 193. 

Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  112. 

Funds,  vested,  201. 

G. 

Girard  College,  189-192. 

Government  of  the  University.     (See  Chapter  iii. ) 

Graduate  department  for  women,  The,  Chapter  xxi,  founded  bv  rol   .I.««»|.h  M.  Ben- 
nett, 384;  faculty  and  degrees,  385, 386. 

H. 

History  and  Institutions,  School  of  American,  370. 
History,  Study  of  (see  under  Franklin,  Jefferson  also),  61, 62. 


448  INDEX. 

Horner  Institute.     (See  Institnte,  Wistar.) 
Hospital,  University,  Chapter  xiv. 


Institnte,  Franklin,  186, 187, 188. 
Institute,  Wistar,  278. 


Jefferson,  180, 181, 182. 
Junto,  21, 22,  23. 

K. 

Keating,  Prof.,  and  Franklin  Institute,  188. 

L. 

Laboratories,  278, 279, 375. 

Laboratory  of  Hygiene,  The,  375,376. 

Languages,  Study  of,  35, 47, 51, 120, 268, 270. 

Law,  Department  of,  227. 

Libraries,  for  Philadelphia  (nee  under  Franklin),  24, 25, 121 ;  of  university,  387. 


M. 

Manual  training  schools  of  Philadelphia,  193, 194, 
Medicine,  Department  of,  273,  220. 
Music,  Department  of,  442. 

O. 

Oratory,  Study  of,  (see  under  Franklin),  .50. 

Orders  in  council  of  1763,  77. 

Organizations  within  the  University :  Social  groups,  410 ;  Alumni  of  the  Departments, 
411;  Seminaries,  413;  Philomathean,  The,  413;  Zelosophic,  The,  414;  The  Uni- 
versity Record,  416;  Greek  letter  societies,  418;  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  419;  Orphan 
schools,  52, 96. 

P. 

Peun,  William,  215,2.52. 

Penn,  Thomas  and  Kit-hard,  charter  to  the  Academy,  68;  to  the  College,  71, 218, 236. 

Pennsylvania,  Relation  of  the  University  to  State  of.  Chapter  v. 

Pepper,  William,  M.  r).,  i.u.  v.,  provost,  19.5, 196.  _ 

Philadelphia,  Relation  of  the  University  to.  Chapter  VI. 

Philosophy,  Department  of,  364. 

Philosophical  Society,  American,  54, 184, 185. 

Physical  education  and  athletics:    Entrance  examination,  361;    care  of  the  bodj% 

362,  363. 
Physiocrats,  149, 151 . 
Professors  and  instructors,  201. 

Proposals  relating  to  the  education  of  youth  in  Pennsylvania,  Franklin,  58. 
Provost,  duties  of,  210,  211. 
Publications  of  the  University,  199. 


INDEX.  449 

B- 

Relations  of  the  University  and  thQ  city:  The  old  Academy,  343;  College,  Aoadetny 
.indCliarityScliool,244,245,246;  Provost  Smith,  247;  income  in  1785,  248;  nnion 
of  the  colh'go  and  the  University,  249;  tl>o  Cro««on  l>e.,iie«t,  250;  fouu.Ution  of 
free  scholarships,  251 ;  university  oquiiimont,  252, 253, 2&1. 

Relations  of  the  University  to  the  State  of  Ponnyalvania,  Chapter  v. 

S. 

Scholarships,  251. 

School  of  American  History  and  Institntions,  The:  Canses  leading  to  Itfl  eatalilijih- 
ment,  370;  effect  of  the  civil  war  on  the  college  curriciilnm.  371 ;  library  of  the 
school,  372,  373;  nature  of  the  courses,  371. 

School  of  Architecture,  The:  Progress  of  architectural  study  in  America,  396-396; 
organization  and  course,  399^02. 

Schools  in  the  University.     {See  Departments.) 

School  programme,  Franklin,  15. 

Scope  of  the  University :  The  corporation^  205 ;  standing  committoes,  206;  organiza- 
tion, 207;  elective  courses,  208;  rank,  209;  duties  of  provost,  210,  211;  central 
committee  of  alumni,  212;  admission  of  women,  212;  relation  to  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia, 213;  acquisition  of  land,  213,  214. 

Sketch  of  an  English  school,  Franklin's,  36. 

Sketch  of  the  university,  historical,  Chapter  iv. 

Smith,  William,  d.  d.,  provost,  143, 218, 219, 222, 75, 236, 237, 244, 247, 257. 

T. 

Tables  of  attendance,  1740-1892,  202. 

Towne  Scientific  School:  Founding  of, 289;  mines,  arts,  and  mannfactures,  290-296 
organization,  297,  298;  course  in  chemistry,  300;  metallurgy  and  mining,  301 
civil  engineering,  302;  mechanical  engineering,  SOIi;  electrical  engineering,  306 
admission,  307. 

Trustees,  Board  of,  238, 239, 249. 

U. 

University  Hospital:  Founding  of,  313-.317;  organization,  .'i^l8-3.'>0 ;  erection  of  the 
Gibson  wing  for  chronic  diseases,  351;  work  of  the  hospital,  ;i50-35.5. 

University,  The,  in  its  relations  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania:  Francis  Daniel  Pa»to- 
rius,  233 ;  William  Penn  Charter  School,  234 ;  the  founders  of  the  university,  235; 
grant  from  Thomas  Penn,  236;  Provost  Smith,  236;  boanl  of  truBteea  eraited, 
238,  239;  acts  of  assembly  1832, 18.38,  240. 

University  Libraries,  The :  Franklin  committee,  387;  the  collections.  Louis  xvi,  387 
Waite's  388;  Evans  Rogers,  Allen,  389;  Tobias  Wagner,  Still6,  C'aldwoU,  390 
Henry  Seybert,  Krauth,  McCarteo,  Pott,  Hayden,  Semitic,  Kiddle,  Leut^ch,  391 
American  History  and  Government,  Popper,  Prime,  Aslibumer,  Leidy,  Harris, 
392;  library  building,  393-395, 

ruiversity  of  Pennsylvania,  origin,  236;  the  scope  of  the  University,  205-214;  doc- 
uments and  charters,  36,52,58-95;  Provost  Smith,  236,247;  The  University  and 
the  general  assembly,  233-241.  The  University  and  Philadelphia,  24.'^-2M;  The 
Department  of  Arts,  255-272;  The  Me<lical  Department.  273-2X2;  The  Law  De- 
parttaent,  283-288;  The  Towne  Scientific  School,  289-308;  The  I>epartment  of 
Dentistry,  309-319;  The  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy,  320-326;  The 
Biological  School,  .327-^12;  Tlie  University  Hospital,  343-355;  The  Veterinary 
Department,  356-360;  The  Department  of  Physical  Education.  361-363;  The  Do- 
partmentof  Philosophy,  3(>t-369, 443 ;  School  of  American  History  and  Institu- 

1180 29 


450  INDEX. 

tions,  370-374;  The  Laboratory  of  Hygiene,  375,376;  The  Department  of  Archae- 
ology, 377-383;  The  Graduate  Department  for  Women,  384-386;  The  University 
Libraries,  387-395;  The  School  of  Architecture,  396-402;  Undergraduate  Life, 
403-409  7  Organizations  within  the  University,  410-419;  The  Alumni  of  the  Uni- 
versity, 420-437;  The  Bibliography  of  the  University,  438-442;  The  Department 
of  Music,  442 ;  The  History  of  the  University,  (l)  1740-1881, 215-232 ;  (il)  1881-1892, 
195-203. 

University,  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  224-225;  charter,  83. 

University  Undergraduate  Life,  403-409. 

Veterinary  Department :  Founding  of,  356 ;  organization,  357-360. 

Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy :  Inauguration,  320 ;  plan,  321-ii24 ;  faculty, 
324;  relations  to  university  extension,  325;  American  Academy  of  Political  and 
Social  Science,  325;  publications,  326. 

Wistar  and  Horner,  278. 

Women,  admission  of,  212.    (^See  Graduate  School  for,  Chapter  zxi.) 


I 


■T5 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


STACK  COLLECTION 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


10m-6.'62  (C9724s4 )  476D 


A    001453192    5 


